Assassin's Creed: Unity Follow-Up
by wikifido
Summary: Follow Arno Dorian in the events following Unity and the Unity Novel as he attempts to deal with the events that come after the French Revolution and the death of the love of his life.
1. Authors Notes

**Authors Notes**

This story contains spoilers for Unity and the Unity Novel, it may also contain spoilers from other Assassin's Creed games and novels in the future.

I felt Unity's ending was left open for a sequel, but I'm worried that because of it's critical reception Ubisoft is not going to close the story thread they opened at the end of the game so I decided to write on the subject. This story ignores Dead Kings as it wasn't out when I started writing.

I have been a fan of the series since the first games and I am currently a Senior in a History program at my college, both the canon of the series and the history it occurs in are very important to me. I will attempt to weave my story accurately within these elements, that being said, if I have made an error I will be changing and editing chapters as necessary.

UPDATE 10: Back and writing again. Decided that the modern segment was necessary and introduced some new characters there. I am going to start including a bit of dialogue from their end where necessary to explain time jumps. Also Syndicate comes out soon so I'll be breaking for that, Who knows maybe something I can work in will turn up ;)

UPDATE 11: Playing Syndicate and loving it, decided that in time I am going to work some stuff in from the game to the story. I will be sure to update this post when I do so to indicate when/if spoilers are occurring.


	2. Sequence 1

/Mounting DNA Data...

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/Sequence 1

December, 1797 – Paris, France

_- 3 years after the Death of Elise de la Serre _

Arno strode quickly through the dirty streets of Paris. The blackened snow had been pushed back from the walkways in front of the shops. He wore a heavy coat in his favorite blue coloring, and in his arms he carried a long item wrapped snugly in a wool blanket. The street were relatively empty, the cold having forced most of the people inside. The sight of the empty streets was far different from when he had last been in Paris.

Since Elise's death he had been living in Versailles and executing her will to the best of his ability. However several weeks ago he decided that he couldn't bear the weight any longer. He had to bring the weapon that killed her back to Paris, and seek answers from his old Order.

Arno slipped unnoticed into what was once his favorite entrance to the underground Assassin Den. There was a large grated door which led through the sewer into the hide-out. He leaned the wrapped Sword of Eden against the grate, then gave the door some deafening pounds.

"Hello!" Arno screamed "I know someone is listening, the Order always has someone posted watching this gate." He knew this simply because it was a task Bellec had him execute on the regular back when he was still 'Pisspot'.

Almost on cue a Novice Assassin appears from the shadows in a white cloak armed with nothing more than a rapier and a hidden blade.

"...I'm sorry, and you are?" The guard said impatiently.

"My name is Arno Dorian. I am formerly a Brother of the Order, but I have brought something the Mentor may want to see. Please let me through"

The hooded guard stepped close to the door and sneered through the bars. "Well Mister Dorian, I regret to inform you I'm not allowed to let traitors into the Den."

Arno reaching his limit on frustration reached through the bars and grabbed the loose cloth of the shirt the guard was wearing and pulled. The guards head slammed against the bars and his body went limp. Arno reached down to his belt and recovered the keys to the door.

_'I was hoping this would be more civil.' _Arno thought to himself as he keyed the door and moved the unconscious guard out of view. He locked the gate behind him and pressed on into the sancutary gripping the Sword of Eden tightly through it's wool wrapping.

_Several Minutes Later_

Arno stormed into the chamber of the Mentor his boots still moist with the sewage he walked through the entrance. Below the raised platform still sat the chalice he drank from on the day he was initiated into the Brotherhood, a day and dream, he would certainly never forget.

"Mentor!" Arno shouted from the bottom of the stairs, staring up at the yellowed white tapestry adorned with the Assassin logo.

"Dorian, how did you get in here. Guards!" The mentor called out. From the surrounding rooms a flood of white cloaks and french rapiers came flying, surrounding Arno quicker than he would have expected.

"Mentor, I have no intention of harming anyone. In fact I come bearing a gift..." Arno said as he slowly unwrapped the Sword of Eden, watching around him to make sure none of the guards perceived him as a threat.

"...it is the sword of Grandmaster Germaine, I believe it has been enchanted or holds some sort of sorcery" Arno said as he finished unwrapping the Sword of Eden and presenting it in front of him across hi flat palms. There were several gasps from the crowd of guards and the eyebrows of the Mentor suddenly became lost in his hairline.

"Guards...see we are left alone...Arno, Let's talk" The mentor said as he brushed his hand towards the exit and the guards filed out of the chamber. "Come up here boy." Arno grabbed the wool blanket from the ground and ascended the stairs to meet the Mentor.

"Place it here." The Mentor said as he hastily cleaned up his desk. Arno placed the wool blanket down and then the Sword of Eden on top of it. "Do you have any idea what this is" The Mentor said an air of excitement about his voice.

"Yes...as I stated it is the Sword of Grandmast..." Arno began before being interuppted.

"Of course of course, but it is a Piece of Eden." The Mentor said as he looked it over in a state of wonder.

"I'm sorry, a what" Arno asked placing his thumbs inside of his belt line and collapsing back into one of the Mentors chairs

" A piece of Eden, it's super powered technology from The Ones Who Came Before, what did this Sword do? What were it's powers?" The Mentor said lifting and looking down the blade as if he expected it to be something other than dead straight.

"I'm sorry again, but the who? And what it did was kill Elise, I finally couldn't bear looking at it anymore, and I figured that the Templar's enemies might have some insight on what the hell it was, and how it was able to teleport Germaine and shoot lightning out of it's blade."

"Amazing..." The mentor said "...The Ones Who Came Before. There are many items like this Sword each has a different thing it does. Records show instances of Mind Control, Teleportation, and other powers far beyond what you could ever imagine." The Mentor said finally placing the sword down and looking seriously at Arno.

"I know you were voted out of the Order, but removing this Sword from the hands of the Templars is an action that would normally earn you a place in the Assassin history book...should you want to rejoin the Order and continue to work with us...I'll allow it." The Mentor suggested reluctantly.

Arno was taken slightly aback. He had come here for answers, not necessarily to plead for his position with the Order back. However he had spent enough time with that Sword, hating that Sword to be interested enough to consider rejoining the Order to learn more, and feel like he had a purpose again.

"Before I answer you Mentor allow me to ask you this, do you have more information about these 'Pieces of Eden', in the Mentor's Library" Arno asked leaning forward, with brow furrowed as if he was thinking very critically about what he was about to do.

"Yes...there is quite a bit of reference to them the the History of the Order, including a sword like this one in the entries of Thomas de Carneillon" The Mentor replied.

"If I can read about it, I'll come back" Arno matter of factly, as he stood to match the Mentor.

The Mentor paused for a moment. While historically no one had been allowed to read the Mentor's Library it had been a while since someone associated with the French Brotherhood had done something as grand as capture a Piece of Eden.

"I'll allow it on three conditions." The Mentor said.

Arno looked intently at him. Despite the agreement being reached the two stared at each other as if the negotiation had just begun.

"Name them." Arno said confidently

" The first, The Order keeps the Sword." The Mentor said worrying that taking Arno's 'trophy' might be seen as a deal breaker.

"Done. I'm sick of looking at the damn thing." Arno responded quickly.

Almost taken by surprise by the quickness of his willingness to give up the Sword, the Mentor paused before laying out the next condition.

"You may have access to the Mentor's Library under the cover of secrecy. It is called the Mentor's Library for a reason"

"Too easy, I'll speak of it to no one." Arno said feeling ever more confident about his willingness to accept all three conditions.

"The final condition is to accept the role of Master Assassin inside this Brotherhood."

Arno gave pause to his response for a moment.

_'How often does a once exiled Assassin go directly to a Master. I don't know that I'm entirly comfortable with coming back to the Order with a higher level of responsibility, but it will without a doubt fill up my schedule...'_

"Fine." Arno responded flatly.

"Grand!" The Mentor exclaimed as he opened up his desk. He fished about one of the drawers for a moment and produced several items. "Here is my spare key to the Library, feel free to come and go as you please, and here is a slip for the tailor. Go have your Master Assassin robes made. You'll be needing them, I've decided we'll be having a ball on your behalf."

"Mentor, that's completely unness..." Arno began to say

"Nonsense, it's happening and you'll like it. Now get to it...Assassin"

/End Sequence 1 Data Stream


	3. Sequence 2

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/Sequence 2

_May, 1798 – Toulon, France_

It was a warm morning. The air smelled of the sea and the breeze was just enough to keep the summer morning heat away. The quiet sunrise was interrupted by the opening of shutters and the smell of breakfast being cooked. Arno however had been up all night. His target was in the city and he intended to find him. Perched atop an aging church dome, he surveyed the port town with his eagle vision.

He knew his target to be an early riser, he also knew that he would be traveling with at least one other person, if not a group of guards. Arno remained completely still, only allowing for his eyes to move searching the roads he knew that his target would be walking. The man would be walking towards the military docks and the barracks without a question.

Around Arno's feet pigeons began to cluster, comfortable with his lack of movement, likely going on the assumption he was a gargoyle. The number of troops in the town had been steadily increasing the past few days. Arno observed column after column march into town. Something big was going to happen, and soon, but no one around town seemed to know. The whole operation seemed suspiciously tight lipped.

_'There you are' _Arno thought to himself as he spied his target. _'In a carriage I see...tricky tricky' _

With that Arno stood up, the pigeons scattering away from his feet in terror as he surveyed the area below him knowing he would have to be quick to catch the carriage. Once he was confident in his route he leaned forward spread his arms and leapt.

He fell for several moment before landing softly, but with a thump in a cart full of hay. The jolt of the landing went through his body, but it didn't deter him from quickly getting up and leaping onto the street. Based on the route of the carriage and the street layout on the way to the dock and barracks, knew he needed to be several streets over.

Running over to a crude construction crane, he gripped and slashed a rope, and the weight of the falling supplies propelled him back to roof level.

_'Eventually I'm just going to be too damn old for this' _ He thought to himself as he sprinted across the roof tops, shingles falling from under neath his feet. The carriage then slipped back into view. Traveling down the street just in front of him.

Arno picked up his pace tenfold. Before he knew it he was running beside the carriage.

_'Now to get on the damn thing' _He thought looking up the street for an angle he could exploit. A low hanging clothes line caught his eye.

He jumped at the line, catching it and allowing it to slow his fall to the roof of the carriage, landing silently behind the drivers.

"You know in the end it's just going to be an exercise, the Commander loves regular battle drills." One driver said to the other, as Arno used their discussion and the rattling sound of the carriage wheels to draw his pistol and slip through the window of the buggy.

He landed flat on the seat facing his target with a pistol pointed directly at his heart.

"Checkmate." Arno stated aloud.

"Don't you think 6 barrels is a bit much for an Assassin, aren't you supposed to be a master of stealth and exploit" Napoleon said nonchalantly, as if he had anticipated Arno's arrival.

A smile spread across Arno's face, he certainly couldn't disagree.

"Hows it going old friend." Arno said holstering his pistol and extending his hand.

Napoleon took his hand and shook it smiling slightly in return.

"Very well, actually." He responded nodding

"It seems it, rumor has it 40,000 troops are set to sail under your command. Where are you headed?" Arno pried. The Order had sent him down to Toulon to get a bit of information on where such a large force could be headed.

"Well rumor is correct. Though I am thoroughly impressed by my own staff that you don't know where." Napoleon said grabbing his hat off the seat beside him and placing it in his lap. Arno took this a cue the carriage may soon be stopping.

"Secret stuff?" Arno joked peering out the window as the port had become visible and hundreds of masts became visible.

The carriage stopped and the coachmen got down and opened the door. He looked puzzled at Arno, then Napoleon, then back at Arno. Napoleon walked down the steps and looked at the coach driver and then saying.

"Have your Sergeant come see me later, understood?"The driver nodded and Napoleon walked on.

"Don't be too hard on them, I do this for a living you know." Arno chuckled walking beside his friend with a hand on his rapier much as a body guard would. The two strode towards and official looking building with two guards posed on the outside.

"This is true, however...despite doing 'this' for a living you still have no idea what me and my men are doing here." Napoleon mused as they entered the building. Napoleon turned to Arno and said,

"Despite the air of secrecy...I could use your help. Step into my office...We'll talk"

Napoleon pulled open the door to one of the rooms and it revealed a beautifully furnished room, like the palaces before the Revolution. Hand carved desks, plush chairs, a large globe, and an unlit fire place. Napoleon strode behind his desk and produced a rolled map.

He unfurled it atop the satin desk topper, and places weights on either corner to stop it from rolling back up.

"This, my friend, is what me and my troops are leaving to do in the next few days" Napoleon said placing his finger down on the center of the map triumphantly.

"You're going to go fight an under-armed force, with superior technology in the world's largest catbox?" Arno asked, clearly unconvinced by whatever Napoleon had planned, but never the less intrigued.

"No Arno, I am going to seize Egypt and I'm going to do it to further stifle the British's trade interests and bolster France's. The Commission des Sciences et des Arts is sending along over a hundred researchers to make use of the expedition to further our knowledge of the world and the technology in it." Napoleon said with the confidence to make even the most doubting of individuals believe him.

Arno nodded slightly in approval, then said "So why the secrecy? Shouldn't France be proud of this expedition?"

Napoleon smiled gently as he rolled his map back up.

"They will in time, but for now it must be kept a secret to prevent the details from finding their way into the hands of spies...then to the hands of the British Admiral Nelson who would undoubtedly enjoy being named a national hero for stopping us."

"You said you could use my help?" Arno asked his thoughts beginning to race the map Napoleon had laid out was purely for demonstration of what he was trying to accomplish, but Arno looked over it more thoroughly than he was likely expected to. There were plans on that map to seize Cairo, from his readings in the Mentors Library there has historically been a high concentration of Pieces of Eden in the Egypt area, many of them were last seen in Cairo.

"Indeed, Along the way I imagine I will have use for a man of your...talents. Assassination, sabotage, espionage, and other things I couldn't quite trust to my regular infantryman or artilleryman. The pay would be handsome, I assure you." Napoleon stated.

Arno mind was turning very fast. He would need to send a letter back to the Mentor to okay this, however the time it would take for a letter to get there and a letter to return would be too long. He would be going against the Order once again if he chose to do this. However the area where Napoleon was proposing going was where Pieces of Eden were abound, some with amazing powers outside what he had seen. One he had read about was particularly interesting, The Ankh.

"Alright Commander, where do I sign" Arno said with a smirk.

/End Sequence 2 Data Stream


	4. Sequence 3, Memory 1

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/**Full Sequencing FAILED, Indexing to Memory files**

/Sequence 3, Memory 1

June 1798 – Off the Coast of Malta

"My Quartermaster delivered my results." Napoleon said to Arno as they lounged about in the Captain's quarters of one of the ships bound for Egypt. Arno picked his head up off of the couch he was laying on to respond.

"And?" He asked turning himself into a sitting position, still dressed in his night clothing from the night before.

"The calculations for utilizing the facilities on Malta under the Knights agreement isn't feasible. It would take weeks to resupply, essentially put us in a perpetual state of resupply here. All while leaving us open to an attack by the British Fleet." Napoleon rambled on, pacing, while tapping the folded calculations in his hand.

Arno knew full well what this meant, there was going to be a ground invasion on Malta to resupply the ships. The Knights of Malta, had tied Napoleon's hands on this one. Had they just agreed to let as many ships as possible dock.

"These 'Knights of Malta' are they affiliated with your lot at all" Napoleon asked, obviously grasping at straws hoping for a diplomatic solution to a problem like this so early in the expedition.

"Afraid not, if anything they're associated the other way...with a name like 'Knights' of Malta." Arno said standing up "I suppose I should go ready my armor then?"

Napoleon's head turned towards him, "Be ready by tonight. I'll be sending you in ahead on the main body of forces." Arno's response didn't require words, he simply gave the commander a nod as he exited the cabin to go and prep his equipment.

Since the Revolution and rejoining the order quite a few changes had been made to the equipment Arno carries with him into battle. He still carries a mastercrafted rapier and wears the signature Assassin hood, but the similarities stop there. Two six barrel pistols to double his ability to fight his way out of a sticky situation. The rope dart, an Assassin favorite, finally found it's way to the French Brotherhood.

Then there was his Phantom Blade, while still the same in concept it was built with stronger materials allowing a more power per shot thus increasing the range. He acquired a second from the Brotherhood armory and now wore them on both wrists. Despite the Phantom Blade's ability to toss knife sized 'darts' at lethal speed and range, Arno took to wearing several throwing knives on his pauldron, a style popular with the Assassins in the 1300's. He found that he favored leather armor, despite other armors offering better protection simply because it was lighter and easier to move about in than chain or plate.

_Several Hours Later_

"Are you listening to me Arno?" Napoleon asked watching Arno make final adjustments and tightening his equipment to ensure that it would all remain in place during the battle.

"Yes." Arno stated, though not admitting he had only listened to the relevant parts of what Napoleon had to say.

"Alright, what is your task tonight into tomorrow morning." Napoleon asked crossing his arms.

Arno turned around and looked into the inky darkness that was the direction of the Island of Malta as he spoke.

"I will be functioning as a sole forward scouting party for the landing party led by General d'Hilliers. My task is to stealthily make landfall and place myself in a ready position to help clear out the artillery battery that will be opposing his landing." Arno said in the most military style he could muster. The mission certainly wasn't going to be easy. The battery he was going to be infiltrating was staffed with at least a thousand men.

"Very good." Napoleon said with a smile on his face. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you again soon in Valletta"

Arno nodded, but he took note that Napoleon spoke in very uncertain terms. He didn't have a time line for this small campaign to take Malta. As Arno climbed into his little row boat he had to wonder how well the plan for this battle had been put together.

The small rowboat was lowered into the water gently and Arno began his trip to shore. Judging by where the ship was before the sun went down, with the help of the current, he would make land fall in about and hour.

Soon the ship melted away into the darkness and Arno was left alone in a rowboat surrounded by darkness and the smell of the ocean. He drifted off into thought.

_'If you had asked me a year ago if you'd ever find me paddling alone onto Malta to lead a one man sabotage operation against a garrison of 1000 or more men...I'd probably think you were crazy. _

_Though maybe I am crazy, I've put the Order and my life in general on hold to go on a romp around Egypt with a French officer, with at this moment what I would qualify as questionable tactical judgment._

_The chance to be in Egypt, and potentially find an Ankh, or another Piece of Eden. Is worth it, who knows perhaps I'll have something to bring back to the Order for all of my trouble.'_

The rough sound of the row boat running aground through the beach sand snapped Arno out of his back and forth discussion with himself. He stood up and quickly hopped onto land. His arm muscles burned slightly from the rowing he did, and effect he assured himself would be worn off by morning. He glanced around searching for anything to help orient himself with the direction he needed to be traveling.

Further down the beach from him the contrast of the ocean water breaking over a rocky out cropping stood out to his strained vision. He knew that the garrison he needed to position himself near was on the other side of a similar outcropping.

Arno dragged the rowboat up the sand and attempted to mask it with some driftwood and foliage he recovered. After that he moved off the beach and set his direction of travel to the garrison. The simplicity of the mission was great. There was only one way the French landing party could arrive from and only one direction the cannons could shoot at them from. However the volleys of French musket fire would be aimed right at him...something he hadn't considered until he found himself overlooking the garrisons not so impressive fortifications.

Arno positioned himself atop an outcropping overlooking the fortifications. He would have to develop a plan that would keep him out of the line of fire.

_'At least I've got all night to think about it'_ Arno though to himself.

_Several Hours Later_

Never had Arno had to think so tactically. The front of his head was throbbing from the level of thought he was putting into this mission. Fortunately that throbbing was distracting from what muscle burn was left from the trip into Malta.

To avoid getting killed by his own forces as they stormed the garrison, Arno decided that the best method to assist would be destroy the powder reserve, this way the only powder available to them would be that which was already on the artillery line.

Arno had done his best to inventory the amount of powder on the line, while it was quite a bit the morning misting rain over the island may play a helping hand in disabling the powder that was sitting out. He had come to the conclusion that casualties were unavoidable on both-sides...people were going to die in this fight, just as people were going to die on this expedition.

_'My job is to ensure they can take the garrison, not to save every life'_ Arno reminded himself again as the sun began peeking over the horizon enough to profile the French landing boats and mark the beginning of Arno's mission.

/ End Sequence 3, Memory 1


	5. Sequence 3, Memory 2

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/Sequence 3, Memory 2

June 1798 – Malta

The rising sun and silhouetted landing vessels were signs that it was time to get this operation underway. He inched forward to the edge of his position above the emplacement. The way down was sloped, it would be easy to slide down directly into the camp to start his infiltration.

He stepped onto the slope and allowed gravity to pull his body downwards, keeping a wide stance and using his right hand to brake and steer. He quickly reached the bottom and swiftly moved to the tent line. He paused for a moment waiting to see if an alarm was going to be raised. After a minute he shook off the notion he had been seen and pressed into the camp towards the building he suspected to be the powder reserve.

He slipped between tents and subverted the gaze of tiring night shift guards until he came face to face with one of the only stone buildings in the encampment. He reached for the door knob.

"Locked..." He mumbled to himself as he knelt down fishing some lock picks from his waist belt pouches. He slowly worked the pins inside the lock until all of them were properly aligned and the door swung open.

Just as a slight smirk began to cross his lips it was cut short by the cold feeling of metal on the back of his neck.

"Easy now..." A voice behind him said "Turn around saboteur..."

Arno followed instructions turning to face a guard holding a flintlock pistol and a smoldering remains that was once a torch. Arno kept his hands up. This guard had happened upon him, it was no special level of skill that led to their meeting. Arno sighed.

"Real sorry about this..." It was over in just a flash of blue. Arno knocked the pistol to the side as it discharged. He grabbed the wrist wielding the pistol and swung the man into the door he had just opened, slamming it shut behind him and ensuring it was locked. Arno began running away from the building, as he knew eventually the remains of the guard's torch would light the powder.

Before anything else could happen a bell started ringing somewhere in the camp. The slow methodical ring, bothered Arno he wasn't sure if that bell was for the shot fired by the guard or the approaching French landing party.

After thirty seconds of waiting and running a huge blast erupted from the powder store. The ground shook so violently that Arno stumbled and was forced into a roll to recover. Despite the hiccup with being detected, destroying the reserve went easier than expected. However now the camp was awake. Soldiers were stumbling out of their tents glassy eyed, just shocked from dreamland. Arno ignored those that posed no threat sprinting for the cannon battery hoping to eliminate the crews to minimize the effect on the landing party.

"Hey you...Stop!" One of the newly awoken soldiers said standing in front of Arno in his night clothing, hand raised. Arno kept running and planted a fist across the mans face driving him into the ground without breaking the momentum of his run. Then he heard it.

The slight sounds of musket fire, the French had landed and fired their first volley at the camps emplacements or a infantry element sent out to stop them. Then came the canon response. The deafening blasts of the camps cannons rung through his ears as he came up behind the emplacement.

Around 13 men were working the cannons and he intended to make short work of them. He reached down to his belt and pulled the blade for his rope dart away from his boby, extending the rope itself as well. He twirled it around in a circle for a moment and then let the heavy blade fly at the well dressed Officer who seemed to be organizing the cannon barrages.

The blade whizzed through the air and drilled into the officers back with a deafening thump. All the while Arno closed the distance between him and the man now functioning as his human yo-yo. He tugged back on the rope causing the man to stumble back, screaming, Arno stepped around him and casually ran his Hidden blade across the artery in his neck.

The eruption of blood splashed against Arno's vibrant blue coat as the 12 remaining men of the cannon crews turned to face him. Behind them he could see the French landing force gripped in a battle with another infantry element. There was nothing more he could do for them then stop the supporting cannon fire.

The men rushed at Arno, but before they could get within striking distance a flash and huge plume of smoke engulfed the area. Arno triggered his Eagle vision so he could see the targets in the smoke. As he did this the world seemingly slowed down for him as he began his work with rhythm, as if keeping time with an invisible symphony.

He cocked his wrists back, this extended the arms of his Phantom Blade and launched two darts in the direction of enemies causing them to drop to the ground and begin convulsing. Next was four throwing knives into exposed soft areas on targets, most of the throwing knives struck with force into the necks of their victims. As the smoke began to clear six men lay on the ground and six more were still standing.

One of the men charged Arno with a pole tipped with soft looking wool or fleece. Presumably to pack down the components used to fire the cannon. Arno grabbed the pole and stepped into the attacker planting his Hidden blade into him. The attacker collapsed to the ground. Arno dropped the pole and placed his foot on the body of the officer and tugged the rope dart from it.

He spun it around in tight circles next to him splattering the blood of the officer about in the process. The remaining five men did not seem keen to fight him. He gave them a curt nod, acknowledging their worry and giving them a chance to leave.

All, but one fled quickly. Arno looked at the remaining man.

"Don't be a hero...just go with the others." the spins on his rope dart getting steadily wider.

"No! I refuse to let you come to our home and loot us like this!" The soldier stead tugging his sword from it's sheath with some effort.

"Just leave! We just need supplies, your Government forced us to this, don't die for their arrogance..." Arno pleaded, but the man sprinted at him sword raised. With a quick change in the orientation of his wrist Arno let the Rope Dart fly, still traveling in a circular motion around Arno the tip of the blade found the side of the man chest.

It slashed him open and he quickly collapsed. Arno walked several paces forward and kicked the blade from the mans hand.

"That could have been your damn head...think wiser next time." As Arno finished his thought the sound of another volley of rounds let loose. He looked to where the fighting had been to see the French advancing on him.

'Oh Shi-' He thought to himself and the wood of the cannon frames and their emplacements splintered around him from the impacting rounds. He sprinted away from the cannons and back toward the camp, which was now smoldering from the fire that was cause by the explosion in the powder store.

Arno halts for a moment and draws his rapier while replacing the rope dart into it's leather sheath after coiling the rope itself back around the spool. He looked around, waiting for an attack to come from somewhere. However as he looked of the roof line of the burning tents, as white flag could be seen fluttering from the central flagpole. The defense force had routed, the landing was successful.

'Hopefully Napoleon has a plan on how to get this supply stop done so we can get on our way' Arno thought re-sheathing his rapier and he walked away from the encroaching French forces to be sure he didn't meet any friendly on friendly contact.

/ End Sequence 3, Memory 2 


	6. Sequence 3, Memory 3

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/Sequence 3, Memory 3

June 1798 – Malta

Arno strode briskly down the hallway of a well to do government building in Malta's capital. His cloak clean and clipping at his heels and his face free from the filth of the past few days fighting. He reached the end of the hallway and dramatically pushed open a giant set of wooden doors.

They revealed Napoleon alone at a desk. He quickly snapped shut a box he was peering into and up at Arno.

" General d'Hilliers informed me that the canon battery overlooking his landing location ominously stopped firing after it's first or second volley." Napoleon stepped around the desk, stopping to lean on it's short side, as he watched Arno pace about the office looking at the maps and trinkets.

"I'm certain the cannon battery fled at the sight of General d'Hilliers's men's fighting spirit." Arno said sarcastically as he uncorked a decanter of some variety of alcohol and brought it up to his nose. He gave a slight nod and poured some into a glass.

"That's certainly what I'll be telling them." Napoleon responded. "Unfortunately General d'Hilliers's illness has finally caught up with him, you're more than welcome to his quarters aboard his vessel. I have decided to send him home with the captured flags before we press on to Egypt."

Arno raised his glass in acknowledgment to the offer of quarters and took a gentle swig at his beverage selection.

"And when about do you think that will be?"

Napoleon smiled and paused for a moment before responding.

"Very shortly, thanks to the 'revised' terms of our resupply here, we should press on quickly to avoid meddling from the English fleet."

With that a knock on the large wooden door drew both of their attention away from the conversation. It was a younger enlisted man, clearly nervous about having to enter the room.

"Pardon the interruption...but I was sent here as a courier to raise the alarm about lookout's spying masts in the distance. The lookouts could not see colors, but they reported seeing more than what was needed for a supply route." The corporal stood awkwardly in the door waiting to receive and undeserved scolding, or be dismissed.

"Very well..." Napoleon though aloud as he walked to the wine rack. He looked over the bottle and selected one from the middle of the shelf. After dusting it off slightly he walked over to the Corporal he presented it to him.

"Well done, please take this bottle of wine and split it with the lookout who saw the masts while you are both off duty..."

"I'm sorry sir?" The corporal said cradling the wine bottle.

"You heard me Corporal, now go" Napoleon said waving him off.

"Seems like we'll be moving sooner then expected, I'd go prepare you new quarters Arno...time here on Malta is running short."

_Several Hours later_

Arno lugged his heavy bags of clothing and gear up the gang-plank of the vessel where his new quarters were located Napoleon would not give him specifics on when they were leaving, but he alluded to 'very soon', and the other ships seemed to be loading up quickly.

Arno nodded to the ships crew that were on deck and walked toward the door that led to the better living accommodations, he looked at one of the sailors and said.

"I've been given General d'Hilliers old living quarters...where exactly are they located?"

"Through that door right there and to the left" The sailor responded pleasantly pointing at the proper direction. Arno gave him a nod and stepped through the door and then was quickly faced with 3 doors. One was clearly for the captian of the vessel the other door had a piece of paper nailed to it that read.

**Nicolas-Jacques Conté  
><strong>Conservatoire national des arts et métiers**  
><strong>Commission des Sciences et des Arts**  
><strong>

Arno gave it a quick once over before proceeding through the door to his new quarters. The were dark, and slightly more cramped than other quarters he had been in, but the would do. He dropped his bags, un-clipped his cloak from his leather chest plate. He tossed the unattached cloak unceremoniously over a hook and collapsed in the sheet style hammock that had been left by the General.

He quickly began undoing the buckles on his bracers, belt, and pauldrons. He had been wearing his equipment much to long over the past few days. He wanted nothing more then to lounge around in the lightest garments he owned.

As he tossed items onto the dresser while spacing out staring at the ceiling, he began to experience the sensation of being watched. He hated that feeling, thus he popped his head up quickly to see if someone had decided to take advantage of the door he hadn't quite felt like shutting.

In the door stood a man in his early to mid forties wearing an eye patch and a stained over coat. Certainly not threatening, but odd none the less.

"You're replacing the General in these quarters I assume...A bit young to be a General aren't you?" The strange man asked as Arno allowed himself to wiggle out of his hammock to shakes hands with the stranger.

"Not a General...I'm...well...An aide to Napoleon" Arno said, trying to figure out the best way to phase his job within the trip.

"Arno Dorian" He said extending his hand.

"Nicolas Conte" The man said grabbing and shaking the outstretched hand. "I'm and engineer with the scientific group that is along for this trip."

Both the men stop for a moment as the yelling and noise above them begin to pick up. It was a pretty good indication that preparations were underway to sail tonight.

"Quite a bit of technology you've got there." Nicholas said gesturing to the Phantom Blade on Arno's left wrist. Arno removed the buckles and held it in his hand.

"Yes it's certainly and interesting gadget, one that has served me quite well throughout the years."

"Should you ever need that looked at, let me know" Nicolas said " I'm sure I could get it operating should it fail."

Arno smiled and nodded at him. With that Nicholas went back to his room, but ass the door opened Arno's eyes widened. Inside Nicolas's cabin was quite a few trinkets that looked quite promising. He quickly stopped himself from jumping to stop him, he had plenty of time to look at those sorts of things on the journey to Egypt.

Arno locked the cabin behind him and returned to the deck. The day was simply far to beautiful spent inside putting up his things. He walked over to the side of the ship and stared off at the sea. Then almost as if by magic or some god level coincidence as pigeon landed in front of him.

He looked it over and noted a small note tied to it's leg. He slowly reached out, as to not frighten the carrier pigeon, and removed the note. He unfurled the tiny paper and read to himself.

_Arno,_

_Hopefully this message finds you and finds you well. We have not heard from you since your mission to Toulon. Please respond if received_

_The Mentor. _

'They really do have a way of finding you anywhere' Arno thought to himself. 

Arno stuffed the paper into his pocket and looked at the pigeon, who looked back, as if waiting for the return. Arno reached out and grabbed the bird once more to descend to his quarters. It was probably best that he responded to the Orders call, but he needed to create a response that would justify leaving like he did...

/ End Sequence 3, Memory 3


	7. Cross Referenced Memories 1&2

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/Substantiating Memory 1

June 1798 – Mediterranean Sea

Admiral Horatio Nelson walked casually down the deck of his command vessel. He had been in pursuit of a French fleet for around a week. Scouting reports had informed him that enough ships to constitute an invasion force left France.

After being avoided for the first part of his hunt, he had directed his fleet towards Malta, where his few scouting frigates had reported that the French Fleet had stopped to resupply. The ocean breeze snapped Admirals Nelson's coat at his heels. A voice from above echoed down, it was the look out.

"There seem to be no ships around Malta, Admiral. It seems as though the French have left!"

Admiral Nelson turned back towards his quarters and yelled

"Quartermaster!" A well dressed man descended the stairs near where Nelson stood to answer the cry.

"Yes, Admiral?" The Quartermaster responded with a half hearted salute.

Nelson quickly saluted in return and responded.

"I need for you to gather up the Captain's. We are going to have a meeting tonight." Nelson said looking out over the ocean and the rest of his fleet. "We need to determine where the French are going...many rumors have them destined for Britain."

"Aye sir!" The quartermaster responded dismissing himself.

_Several Hours Later_

Darkness had befallen the British fleet and the heavy, warm rain of a summer storm battered on the windows of the Admirals quarters. The table in the center of the quarters was adorned with fine wine and food. Around the table were seated the captains of the vessels that comprised Admirals Nelson's fleet.

"Gentlemen," the Admiral said "The French have eluded us once more, Malta was a dead end. Where then is there next stop. The purpose of this meeting is try to determine a course of action by determining where the French are headed. So Discuss." 

"I doubt they would be so fool hearty as to invade Britain...I say that it is fair to rule that out." One of the Captains at the table said.  
>"I think that's fair" The admiral responded "But if not Britain, then where?"<p>

The was a silence over the cabin, then a light voice cut through the air from the shadows around the table.

"I may have an idea..."

/ End Substantiating Memory 1

/Re-Sequencing/Digitizing...

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/Substantiating Memory 2

June 1798 – Mediterranean Sea

Arno sat perched precariously on one of the beams of the mast system of the ship where his new quarters were located. The ocean was calm, as was the weather. They were now on their route to Egypt, and aside from a few brushes with recon frigates there had been little to no sign of the English fleet that Napoleon had been so worried about.

Arno moved carefully into the centermast and then assumed a simple sitting position. He had decided to write the Order back, but he was questioning what he had wrote over and over in his head.

_Mentor,_

_I have gotten a lead on a new Piece of Eden known as the Ankh. I am traveling to Egypt with a scientific expedition in an attempt to locate it. I will send periodic updates._

_Arno_

According to the record in the Mentors Library in Paris the Brotherhood had recovered a Piece of Eden known as the Ankh in the past. It was one of two known Pieces of Eden that could bring the dead back to life, and both of them

Arno placed his back directly against the centermast and looked through the darkness.

_'Even if you find the damn thing there really no reassurance that it can bring her back'_

In his heart of hearts Arno knew that, but he still was going to give it his best shot. Since Elise's death any hope of a truce with the Templar's was dashed. Bringing her back had personal reasons for Arno, but it also had implications for the tensions between the two groups.

Arno listened to the waves slapping up against the side of the ship. There was something oddly tranquil about the rhythm to the waves. His listening was interrupted by another set of slapping waves.

Arno looked around and saw another ship, flying the British flag just off the side of the vessel he was on. Arno hopped up, he knew that their ship was the flank of their formation, that meant that either the French Fleet was being sailed through or sailed directly next to.

Arno activated his eagle vision and stared at the vessel. There were only a few men on the top deck. One in the lookouts nest, one at the wheel and the other asleep on the deck. Arno quickly glanced behind him. There was no sign of any other British ship, but in front of him he spied some other masts...they were flank to flank.

The British ship's lookout seemed to be staring right at him. Arno stood up and walked forward on the mast he had been sitting on. He placed a finger up to his lips. The lookout from the other ship mimicked the sign and the British vessel sailed by. There was no reason to have bloodshed and engage the two fleets tonight.

Arno smiled to himself as he crouched down steadying himself with a third point of contact. He wondered where they were sailing off to. It seemed unlikely that they would assume Egypt, however if they did and docked in the harbor at Alexandria Arno would likely be seeing that lookout again, and their meeting wouldn't be that friendly.

"Arno!" A voice called from below him. Arno looked down to see Nicholas calling up to him. For a second he wondered how long he had been there, and yet he felt a wise man like Nicholas would understand why he let the British ship go.

"Coming!" Arno said reaching out and grabbing a rigging. He stepped off the mast and fell to the ground the friction on the pulleys of the rigging slowing his fall. He landed with a heavy thump in front of Nicholas.

Nicholas looked stunned at the Assassin, having never seen someone perform such a physical feat.

"How are you this evening Nicholas"

"Doing well, came out here to take in the night air."

"Ah same " Arno responded.

The stood in silence for a moment staring back out over the ocean.

"So Arno, Why did you come on this expedition. You don't seem like a soldier, sailor, or scientist...meaning no offense of course." Nicholas asked.

"A little bit of each I suppose...I'm looking for someone I lost, hoping to find them in Egypt."

"Noble." Nicholas said " That's a fine reason to be here."

/ End Substantiating Memory 2


	8. Sequence 4, Memory 1

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/Sequence 4, Memory 1

July 1798 – Coast of Egypt, Near Alexandria

Arno walked along the Egyptian beach next to his new friend Nicholas. The expedition had finally arrived on Egyptian soil and Napoleon had ordered a full disembarkation. The night was cool, but Arno knew the blazing sun would rise soon enough. As he strode he glanced down at his heavy robes and armaments. He may have to reduce his fighting weight so he didn't over heat.

"We must find Napoleon, I'd like to see if his has any tasks for me...I'd like to take a side trip to Alexandria" Arno said to Nicholas as he surveyed the vast seas of French uniforms. Over there heads a single fluttering tricolor flag served as a beacon to Napoleons location.

"Something tells me we all might be heading there..." Nicholas said looking around.

Arno walked that way trying to stay out of the way of the soldiers busily preparing for movement. At the base of the flag pole a single tent was erected. Arno walked up to the two armed guards and said.

"I'm Arno Dorian and this is my friend Nicholas Conte, we are here to see Napoleon." just as the guard began to open his mouth a familiar voice from inside bellowed.

"Let them in!"

Arno went past the guards and into Napoleons tent. Napoleon looked as though the sea had taken a toll on him, dark rings were present under his eyes and his movements looked more sluggish.

"Napoleon, are you alright?" Arno asked concerned.

"Yes...yes...a late case of sea sickness I'm afraid" Napoleon explained "And who is this?"

"This is my friend Nicholas Conte, he's with the scientific mission you summoned here. He is without a doubt the most impressive engineer I've ever met." Arno said, a smile beaming across Nicholas's face as he presented a hand for a handshake.

Napoleon shook his hand and waved at two seats in front of his desk.

"Please sit." He said, as he himself sat in a chair behind the desk. "So Arno, what can I help you with."

"Well I'm not sure, I need to get to Alexandria to seek out some documents. I was hoping to detour there and regroup with the main body wherever you are headed."

"Shadowy Brotherhood business I assume?" Napoleon said sarcastically, while Nicholas looked on slightly confused.

"Something like that." Arno laughed, not sure he was ready to tell Napoleon of the Anhk or the Sword.

"Well I have some good news, and some bad news..." Napoleon said prefacing his statement. "The good news is that we're heading to Alexandria, the bad news is that they plan to resist us."

"Napoleon...the library these documents are in can't be destroyed." Arno said beginning to get concerned.

"Based off what my generals have told me taking Alexandria should be quick work, however I don't think we'll have any need directly for your services...ride ahead to get your documents. We'll meet back up once the city has been taken."

Arno nods to him. " Alright, I suppose I'll need a horse."

"Unfortunately we don't have any of those to spare, but go see a Calvary Sergeant and give him this note...he'll get you a mount." Napoleon said jotting down a quick request and signing it before handing it to Arno. "I'd make haste...the main force will be there in 24 hours"

Arno got up and turned to Nicholas.

"Stay safe friend" Nicholas nodded and Arno went to leave.

"...Oh Arno." Napoleon called out. "Do keep your head down when the cannon fire starts will you."

"Can do." Arno said leaving the tent and he hears the conversation between Napoleon and Nicholas turn to the scientific endeavors the expedition was looking to accomplish

Arno had seen where the Calvary had been disembarking their horses and equipment. He moved that direction, as he moved he again began to assess his gear.

_'This leather armor will have to go, I'll stow it in case I need it.' _

_' I would sacrifice my throwing knives by ditching the pauldrons, I think those will stay.'_

_'I'll keep my belt the same and just try to get a lighter cloak'_

Arno arrived in the Calvary camp. He approached the first man he saw and said.

" I have an order from Napoleon, I'm looking for the First Sergeant of the Calvary" As Arno stpoke the man stiffed up as if Arno himself were someone of importance.

"I believe he's near the shore supervising the off loading of the horses."

Arno gave the man a curt nod and walked the direction of where the man he needed to see was supposedly located. He looked over the shore and saw one man standing, arms crossed, supervising the effort. Arno approached him.

"First Sergant?" Arno asked, the man turned and looked at him and gruffly responded.

"Yeah?"

"I have an Order here from Napoleon for a mount, I need it as soon as possible." The man chuckled to himself as he took the piece of paper from Arno.

"Yeah I'll get you squared away follow me."

_An short time later _

"Oh Lord." Arno said bringing his finger up to his nose as he attempted to settle himself on the camel he had been given to ride.

"Stinks don't he. Bought them from the locals when we landed, came with that saddle if you'd believe it." the first sergeant chuckled

"Somehow I have no problem believing it" Arno said. " Well thank you...I suppose I'll be on my way now then"

Arno had packed away his leather chest piece and stripped down as many layers as he could. He had on just a simple shirt, pants, pauldrons, phantom blade bracers, and belt with his equiptment. Additionally in an attempt to disguise himself, he wrapped his head in a piece of patterned fabric, but it still sat on his head like the hood of his cloak.

He checked a compass, turned the reins on the camel, and kicked in on it's side. The camel took off running towards Alexandria. 


	9. Sequence 4, Memory 2

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July 1798 – Alexandria

The blistering sun had been up for several hours, it's ray finally burned off what remained of the cool night air. Arno was amazed how quickly the temperature turned in the desert. With no foliage or soil the sand of the desert lost and gained temperature with relative ease. He had ridden through the night and was staring off into the distance looking for the tall towers he knew would define Alexandria's skyline.

Last the Brotherhood knew of the library Arno was searching for it was on the top floor of one of those very towers. It was a site that was secured by the Templars for hundreds of years. The Documents in the Mentor's library led Arno to believe that site had been captured during a Crusader invasion of Egypt.

The site was a holdover of documents from the original Great Library. Saved from the fire that took the rest. The Templar curator of the Great Library had set them aside as they had specifically to do with the Ones Who Came Before and the Pieces of Eden. Arno assumed that the tower would be guarded, likely by Templars or those hired by them to protect the secrets.

Arno looks up from his thoughts to see the city of Alexandria in his view. The skyline had several tall minarets and towers. At that moment he began to devise his plan. He had no idea which tower contained the library, or if it had been moved since the Brotherhood last scouted it. He would locate a tall and centralize spot to climb and narrow down his options.

As Arno approached the outer walls of Alexandria he gave them a once over.

_'There's no way these walls will stop Napoleon's men' _Arno thought to himself hoping those inside Alexandria considering resisting would consider laying down their arms to prevent unnecessary bloodshed.

Arno tied his camel off to a stable post outside a city gate and strode into the city. Despite the looming threat of French attack they had yet to batten up what defenses they did have. Alexandria's streets were bustling with locals. Many of who were already throwing him knowing and hateful looks. Arno pulled his scarf more over his face in an attempt to curb this issue. But there wasn't much that could be done to hide the fact he was an outsider.

Arno surveyed the skyline once more and picked out the viewpoint he would assess his potential locations from. It was a high minaret of a mosque about a mile or two from his location. The structure looked new, and was quite high.

Arno took off running towards it through the crowds on the city street. He spotted a unused cart with a white sheet draped over it. He changed direction and sprinted towards it. He ran up the 45 degree angled cart and leapt off of it reaching out for a planter hanging from the corner of a building.

He caught on by just his finger tips and landed safely on the balcony around the corner. He turned and scaled up the building to the roof. Upon reaching the roof he stopped for a moment panting, and then coughing slightly.

'This sand is making it hard to breath.' Arno thought as he wheezed through catching his breath staring up at the minaret. He adjusted his belt slightly and then took off running across a cable to close the distance to the mosque.

Arno ran across the next roof top and extended out grabbing the side of the Mosques outer wall. He pulled himself up on the wall and sat perched there for a moment. He looked around the interior garden of the mosque and saw it empty. He dropped lightly into the courtyard from the wall and walked over the walls of the mosque itself. He paused there an analyzed his route up.

'From the ground, to that molding, up to the window, then to the roof. From there I should be able to grab onto the minaret and finish the climb' Arno said to himself as he began to execute his plan by running up the wall and kipping up to get a hold of the molding above a door.

He used a few loose stones to move his way up to a window, he used the frame work to get within a few feet of the edge of the roof. He glanced down; he had already come quite a ways up. Looking at the jump to the roofs edge he started to see the inherent use of the Ottoman Brotherhoods Hook Blade.

'Sure you run the risk of a dislocated shoulder, but it sure makes these questionable jumps easier.' Arno thought to himself.

He flexed for a moment and then propelled himself up. He got a hold of the roof and was left with his feet dangling. He held on and swung his lower body back and forth until he got enough momentum to swing his right leg onto the roof. With that complete he was able to pull himself up and he rolled onto the slated roof, quickly standing up.

The roof was casually slanted, but he was easily able to scramble up it, having tackles steep roof slopes in Paris. Now, he stood on the peak of the roof and stared at the minaret that was no connected to the building. He was going to have to jump for it.

Arno took off running, as he reached the edge of the roof he jumped as hard as he could up and out and cleared the gap to the minaret with ease catching onto some ornamental molding. He began crawling to the top.

Several minutes he crested the towers platform where the Imam would make the call to prayer 5 times a day. He gazed out over the city of Alexandria. He looked from tower to tower, and then one caught his eye. It was boxy and European looking in origin. It stood out like a sore thumb against the other architecture.

Arno considered it, and then decided that would be his first stop. He got up on the railing of the minaret's balcony. He sat there perched for a moment and gazed around. The city was going to be a war-zone in the next 48 hours. Before that, he needed to find the documents and secure them if possible.

Arno still had no idea how large this library was...or if it even still existed. He slowly stood up on the balcony and spread his arms. Without pause he threw himself off the tower and the exhilarating feeling of a 'Leap of Faith' overtook him once again.

/ End Sequence 4, Memory 2


	10. Sequence 4, Memory 3

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/Sequence 4, Memory 3

July 1798 – Templar Library, Alexandria

Arno had looked at the Tower from all angles. There wasn't a way inside from the upper floors. They appeared to be all boarded up, which furthered his assumption that this was the place he was looking for. The front door was guarded by two men with pikes bearing no Templar iconography.

Arno wondered to himself if this meant they had no idea what they were guarding, or if they were just Templars aiming to blend in with the local fighters. Either way Arno had to check the inside of the tower. He could very easily take the two men out, but he didn't need to cause unnecessary disturbance in the nearby marketplace. It would be crazy enough when Napoleon showed up with his Army.

Arno stood up from the bench he was sitting on and slipped into an alleyway, he had an idea. It was a terrible and stupid idea, which may very well lead to the open combat he was aiming to avoid, but it was basically the only plan he could muster given his circumstances.

He looked down at his robes and tucked away several exposed pieces of clothing with Assassin symbols. He removed his Phantom Blades and stowed them in his canvas backpack. Then he fished in the neck line of his shirt and produced a chain bearing a red Templar Cross. It was Elise's old necklace, fitting that it found it's way into use on this expedition.

Arno gave himself a quick once over for anymore signs of the Brotherhood and he walked towards the tower door.

"Halt." The guards said pushing their pikes inward to block entrance to the towers door.

"Hello my name is...Jean-Luc. I am here from the French Order to utilize the manuscripts in this Library for me research." Arno's insides tightened, the guards looked skeptically at one another as if to look for the others approval. They pulled their pikes back in to allow Arno's passage into the door.

"May the Father of Understanding guide you gentlemen." Arno said to the guards, still as worried as before they hadn't believed him. However once the door had closed he chuckled. Th chuckled echoed off the stone walls of the tower.

_'May the Father of Understanding guide you gentlemen...listen to me.'_ He thought to himself as he looked at the empty ground level. The only feature was a staircase. Arno began scaling the stair case and upon cresting the top of it he saw many book shelves and several men in scholarly styled European robes hunched over manuscripts.

Arno tapped one on the shoulder and asked.

"Who would I see about the content of this library."

"French? My are you a long way from home, go see Master Smith in the office there." The man said pointing to an open door. Arno was comfortable again. These men didn't frighten him, and inside the confines of the tower the guards outside didn't bother him either. The tower itself was shuttered and boarded up from outside, anything that happened in there, would stay in there.

Arno walked over to the office and knocked on the open door. The man behind the desk was grey with age and hardly looked up from his work while saying.

"How may I help you?"

Arno responded quickly.

"My name is Jean-Luc I am here from the French Order, here to research Pieces of Eden...Specifically-"

"Close the door." The man said cutting Arno off and rising shakily from his desk. " Typically the Order lets us know when someone will be swinging by." The man said.

Arno figured this might happen. He didn't have any paperwork supporting his presence in the Tower.

"It is an emergency sir, we need information about the Ankh or the Shroud." Arno said pleading with the man.

"Looking to raise the dead are we Jean-Luc?" The man said skeptically.

"Yes sir, we recently lost a very important member of our Order...we were hoping to restore them to restore the balance of power." Arno said, they say it's easier to lie by veiling your lies with the truth, and that statement had a lot of truth to it.

"Well you will be sorry to know this Library lost track of those particular items years ago. However...and I was going to wait until the Orders next scheduled visit to reveal this, but we've found another potential life restoring precursor item. They seem to be quite frequent in this part of the world for some reason, I've researched this all myself. It's a book." The scholar said digging through his desk for a wax sealed scroll, which he presented to Arno. "We believe it to be buried with the Pharaohs at Giza."

Arno placed the scroll gingerly into his backpack nodding.

"I'll recover this for the Order and bring it back here for you to turn it over, then work from there to take it back to France" Arno said trying to make his deception sound legitimate. Then the door behind him groaned open. He turned to see to figures. One burly man, and one slender female holding a glaive like weapon.

"Give back that scroll...Assassin." The woman shouted.

"Uh...no?" Arno said reaching up and grabbing a throwing knife and tossing it at the old scholar. The knife hit him with a great impact, knocking him down into a motionless prone position. It killed Arno to have to take a life that could barely defend itself, but the secrets of that scroll died with that man outside of the scroll in his pack.

Before the scholar had even hit the ground the large burly man charged Arno drawing a set of curved scimitar swords. Arno flexed his wrist, expecting the Phantom blade to be there, but realized he had removed them. He quickly drew one of his pistols from his belt and drew a line an the man.

Before he was even in striking distance Arno pulled the trigger and after a loud blast the man collapsed to the floor his blades sliding across the room from the energy of his charge.

Arno was now one on one with the woman with the pole-arm. She stepped into the light revealing white and red Templar robes, blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail, and vibrant green eyes.

Arno had already holstered his weapon and moved to draw his rapier, he quickly drew and lunged for the woman going for a quick kill to her heart. In a flourishing movement the woman stepped aside and deflected the rapier with her pole arm.

Arno heard a light patter of metal on the floor. He glanced down and his rapier and been chopped in half by the curved blade of the exotic pole arm.

_'Shit'_ Arno thought to himself. The woman resettled her stance and got ready to strike in return. Before she could Arno dropped what was left of his sword and fished a smoke bomb out of his belt. Tossing it down he activated Eagle vision and drew his pistols.

He pulled the trigger on each weapon five times for a total of 10 rounds, alternating between the two, when one wasn't firing he was shifting the next barrel into place. It was an amazing feat of coordination, however through the smoke Arno watched his adversary flip, tun and , fan kick through the field of lead. If he didn't know better he would have said the blade of her weapon had sliced a round from the air.

As the smoke cleared Arno had his right handed pistol trained on her. She was off balance, this was it. He pulled the trigger and nothing happened. Either the powder failed to light or he was out of rounds. Either way the delay was to long. The woman closed the distance and gave him a solid kick to the chest. Arno dropped his pistols and was propelled backwards rolling on the floor.

He quickly grabbed a Scimitar, but as he rose to fight more another kick caught him across the chest and he was sent through one of the boarded up windows. He grabbed onto the window ledge and looked around behind him for somewhere to jump. He got prepped to jump and he felt a tug around his neck.

The woman had Elise's necklace in her hand, using it to hold him, and in her other hand a dagger. Arno thought quick and swung the curved scimitar across his body striking the dagger out of the way, then dropping the blades down the woman arm protecting bracer and sliced the chain of the necklace, despite the red cross charm being in the woman's fist.

Before the situation could escalate further Arno ejected himself off the building and performing a rolling recovery on the ground. He thought to himself as he sprinted away.

_'Down my rapier and pistols...but up a scimitar and information about a piece of Eden...that's a wash. The real loss here is Elise's necklace, I have to get it back.' _

/ End Sequence 4, Memory 3


	11. Sequence 4, Memory 4

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/Sequence 4, Memory 4

July 1798 – Alexandria

Arno finally stopped sprinting when he finally believed he was clear of any threat. He stood for a moment hands on his knees gasping for breath through the dusty desert air. The air certainly wasn't nice on his lungs that were conditioned for France, and more recently the crisp air of the ocean.

He collapsed down on a bench and swung his bag around to the front of his body. His 'new' sword didn't fit the thin scabbard that once held his rapier, and he certainly couldn't walk around Alexandria with a sword in his hand. He removed his scarf from around his head and wrapped the blade, then place it gingerly in his bag.

_'No pistols either...' _Arno though slipping the two holsters off of his belt and placing those into the bag as well. He recovered one of the Phantom Blades and re-affixed the bracer to his arm and pulled his sleeve over it. Aside fro a few throwing knives it was his only reliable weapon at this point.

Arno then removed the document that he had been given in the library. Folding it up neatly he placed it in the inner pocket of his coat before standing up and re-slinging his bag.

The loss of most of his equipment was pretty jarring as he felt relatively defenseless without his sword specifically. But all that was replaceable, what wasn't replaceable was the small Templar necklace that had belonged to Elise. While Arno was upset about the loss of the necklace he didn't doubt his ability to get it back.

Simply on her appearance alone the woman who had it was not from Egypt. She was clearly European, therefore she had to have sailed here...and Napoleons Naval force now controled the flow of ships in and out of the area of Egypt. She would be easy to find...but fighting her, that would be another story entirely...she clearly had a very good set of skills.

Arno mused over this subject for a while as he began to walk, continuing to assure himself that the necklace would be recoverable. Then a sound struck Arno's ears it was faint but it was quiet clearly the sound of musket fire in the distance.

_'Shit' _Arno thought to himself '_The attack has started...and I'm still on the other side of the rifles...again'_

Arno knew that Napoleons intent was to remain on his ship the L'Orient while the conflict took place, allowing his generals to make the tactical decisions. Arno took of sprinting, he needed to try to locate Napoleons ship. He started running toward the water he had seen from the Mosque roof. That would do a couple things.

It would put space between him and the French invading force, as he ran the sounds of musket fire got lighter and his head began to drift into thought about Elise.

He remembered coming through the door the day he escaped the Bastile with Bellec and having her shove a flintlock in his face. That day she had said she always knew it would come down to her a Templar and him an Assassin.

While that was inevitably what happened, Arno couldn't help but chuckle at the naivety of the statement knowing what he knows now about the Kenway line in America, being a Templar of an Assassin certainly doesn't run in any particular family line.

Despite the differences in their Orders they had been brought together by the idea of avenging Mister De la Serre. Almost ironically that was also the very thing that tore them apart with her death being a result of the very revenge they went seeking out together.

All of those memories, like those of his father and the watch that he carried, were tied up in that Templar cross necklace. Through the years, he had lost his fathers watch, but always gotten it back. He wouldn't have an issue with this necklace charm either...he'd see to that.

As he finished up his thought train he crested the last major row of buildings before the ocean, way off in the distance he could see the mast of L'Orient. Arno knew that Napoleon was on board and he looked around for his way onto the ship.

After a few second of analysis it looked like the options were either row out, or run out to the end of the jetty and see if he could swim out, the issue there was that his document he had just recovered would have gotten soaked.

_'Or...' _Arno thought to himself _'I could simply track the ship...and meet Napoleon when he disembarks.'_

While this wasn't ideal due to the attacking French forces Arno saw it better than rowing out or swimming. Arno scaled down the building and walked over to the beach. He kicked his shoes off and laid down on the beach. He propped his head against his bag and stared out at L'Orient. Eventually Napoleon would make landfall. In the mean while he unfolded the document he recovered at the Templar Library to read as he waited.

_Several Hours Later_

The bouts of musket fire through the hours had gotten louder and softer, more frequent and less frequent. It certainly seemed as though the French had taken the city, and were facing little resistance. Arno then saw what he had been waiting to see. A party of men appeared to be getting into a small row boat aboard L'Orient and further down the beach a crowd of French soldiers had gathered on the beach to accept the passengers of the ship.

Arno got up slowly, tossed his bag over his shoulder and began to walk down the beach. It was time to reunite with Napoleon, and see what his plans were and how they related to the information he had just learned about the Book the scholar in the tower had spoke about. _  
><em>  
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July 1798 – Alexandria

Arno sat around large table with Nicolas, Napoleon and his Generals. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the events of the seizure of Alexandria and determine the Next course of action.

"So Arno, did you turn up what you were looking for?" Napoleon asked his hands clasped in front of him on the table still looking as tired as he had been last Arno had seen him.

Arno was casually leaned back in his seat across the the table.

"Yes, actually my trip was quite fruitful...however I did run into a woman who stole something quite dear to me" Arno said hoping that turning word of the Templar woman over to Napoleon would lead to a faster capture, and thus return of Elise's necklace to him.

"Intriguing, tell me more. Is this woman a local?" Napoleon asked, leaning forward clearly wanting to help Arno retrieve his item.

Arno leaned forward now, sitting up a bit more proper at the impromptu meeting table.

"This woman is not local, she's a highly skilled Templar. It has been a very long time since I've seen a fighter this fierce. The item she took from me was a necklace charm...it, aside from some letters, is one of the few things I have to remember a departed loved one."

Arno stopped for a moment and then decided to elaborate a bit further.

"She's sure to be noticed here in Egypt. She is blonde with green eyes, looks very European. She was wearing a white and red cloak with a Templar cross when I last saw her."

Napoleon looked to his Generals around the table.

"Gentlemen, please put this information to your men and have them keep an eye out, I'd like to find this woman for my friend."

The generals all nodded then one of the men spoke up.

"Can do sir, but there's some other issues we are having. We've been in control of the city for not even 24 hours but the desert air has already began to damage the cannons."

"General Kleber I think I may have a solution for that." Nicholas said from across the table.  
>"Master Conte I believe you'll have no issue solving this issue." Napoleon said and then he looked at General Kleber.<p>

"General Kleber, my intention is to push toward Cairo in the next few days, I will be leaving Alexandria in your, and your regiments capable hands."

"So soon?" Another man at the table asked.

Arno's head was turning, Cairo was where the pyramids were located. The document he had taken from the library had the Book he was seeking was located in a subterranean chamber of one of they pyramids.

"The move to Cairo must be made swiftly before word of our actions here in Alexandria reach there and a strong resistance can be mustered." Napoleon responded.

Arno quickly piped up.

"I would be interested in traveling to Cairo as well." Napoleon looked at him and smiled while leaning back in his seat.

"Good, I'm sure we'll have some use for your skills Arno...Well Gentlemen, I think this meeting is closed."

All the members of the meeting stand up as Napoleon departs the room. Discussion starts between the Generals and Arno stood up to leave when he felt a hand reach out and grab his wrist. He turned and Nicholas was looking up at him.

"Arno, I have a bit of a surprise for you." Arno raised an eyebrow, he certainly wasn't expecting anything. "Follow me."

Nicholas left the room and followed a hallway to a small room. The room was covered in parts, trinkets, and astronomical tools. He walked over to an area that seemed like a work bench and picked up two items from it.

"I saw your wrist weapons...and I thought that they could use some improvements." Nicholas said presenting the updated Phantom Blades to Arno.

Arno looked down at then, they were somewhat bulkier than the version he wore currently. One had the same four arms. But in the rear of the wrist guard there was a small spool on one of them. The other had the old 2 arm style, but a barrel clearly serving as a wrist or sleeve gun.

"The one with four arms tosses darts with either cord attached or not by turned the switch on the spool. The darts also have barbs that stick out so you can tug people down...or whatever else. This one has a gun built in so you can fire from you sleeve if you find yourself somewhere you can't bring a pistol." Nicholas said presenting them to Arno.

"Thank you!" Arno said picking them up and inspecting them. "I recently screwed up the internals of my other blades...they won't launch darts anymore...something about a fall from the top floor of a tower."  
>Nicholas looked at him skeptically for moment, and then shook his head and smiled deciding to believe him.<p>

Arno removed the blades on his wrists and swapped them out for the ones Nicholas had just given him. He adjusted his coats sleeves over them and quickly embraced Nicholas in a hug.

"Thank you Nicholas, I'm sure they will be a great help." Arno released the embrace and Nicolas looked at him.

"I'm going to be staying here in Alexandria...I'm thinking about trying to set up a telegraph to the fleet in Abukir Bay. Please stay in contact I'd like to know you're safe." Arno nodded.

"Will do friend, will do. I need to go find Napoleon." Nicholas nodded and patted Arno on the shoulder as he left.

"Stay safe friend."

Arno needed to discuss with Napoleon his plan to enter one of the pyramids after the city of Cairo is taken. He wasn't sure what it would involve to get inside...could he just walk in, or was there a door or stone that needed to be moved. Arno just knew he needed to recover this Book...then determine his course from there.

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July 1798 - Somewhere in the Egyptian Desert

"So let me get this straight Napoleon." Arno said from below his water drenched head scarf.

"Despite having several horses in this march pulling carts of gunpowder, Arno, you master saboteur and hit man is still stuck riding a camel."

Napoleon looked over to him and smirked.

"My good man I thought your type was all about being a blade in the crowd, and I must say you look positively local."

Napoleons ground army had begun marching towards Cairo. The scouts had reported that the local forces had built up quite a force to oppose Napoleon there. However many of them did not seem willing to fight. This was certainly for the best seeing as the French for of twenty five thousand men had been marching through the harsh desert for quite some time now. It started off as a 'proper' march but quickly fancy uniforms came off and formations spread out, never the less the force headed towards Cairo.

"A bit hard to hide in open desert like this...but I suppose you're right." Arno responded laughing slightly.

The two continued on in silence and then Arno spoke up.

"I think Horatio Nelson beat us to Alexandria."

"I'm sorry what?" Napoleon responded to the somewhat out of the blue statement.

"The Templar woman, the one I asked you're generals to keep an eye out for. She spoke very little while we were in combat. But after thinking it over I believe the accent was British...and while we we traveling here our fleet was passed by Admirals Nelson's -"

"That's simply not true." Napoleon interrupted.

"I saw it with my own eyes Napoleon, a British Vessel sailed so close to the vessel I was on I saw the lookout. I did this." Arno held his finger up to his lips "And he returned the gesture...and they sailed on, how else would a British sounding Templar get here to Egypt." Arno said readjusting his head scarf over his nose as the wind was beginning to kick up some of the desert sand.

"Well...I suppose that is a fair assumption then..." Napoleon let his sentence fade off. Arno could tell that Napoleon wished he had made this revelation sooner. "I have the fleet following us along the coast...their flank is exposed...hopefully he doesn't return."

Arno glanced behind him at the struggling, marching, men. The sand was certainly hard to walk through for such distances. They would need rest soon.

"Uh, Arno." Napoleon said lightly to get his attention.

"Ye-" He stopped as he turned his head around a massive wall of sand was heading straight for them, it was quite a ways away but it would hit them soon.

_'Shit...shit.'_Arno thought adjusting his face wrap from the wind once more, then off thin the distance the faint sound of musket fire.

"Arno! Ride the line and tell the men to flank right, where there is musket fire there is an army, and where there is an army, there is support for that army."

Arno nodded to Napoleon and ripped his camels reins around to face the marching column. He grabbed a leather riding crop from its sheath on the camels saddle and violently struck it's hind quarters.

"Ya!" He yelled as the camel too off down the line.

The marching column was miles long. Arno rode down it screaming.

"Flank Right, by the Order of Napoleon. Flank Right!" Upon reaching the end of the march her turned around and rode up the backside of the now flanking element to make sure no one missed the instructions. After about 25 minutes of riding Arno reached Napoleon.

"It's done, the flank is underway" Arno said sheathing his riding crop.

"Thank you, that musket fire sounded a few miles away...we won't arrive before the storm..but we will win this day." Napoleon said sounding very sure of himself.

Arno wasn't sure what made him so confident the wall of sand looked to be 10x larger then when he took off to alert the march and it was not even upon them yet. It seemed as though they found themselves in quite a situation.

"I've sent my scouts ahead. They'll return to us with any information about this musket fire." Napoleon said seemingly un-phased by the massive wall of sand encroaching on them.

Napoleon and Arno rode for a few more minutes then a group of men riding camels appeared in the distance. Arno reached for his sword.

"At ease Arno...it's the scouting party." Napoleon said. Arno relaxed as the men pulled up to Napoleon.

"Sir a force of around four thousand armed with muskets are operating out of a village, but a mile from here." One of the scout reported. Napoleon nodded and they took off on their camels.

Napoleon looked at the wall of sand which was almost upon them, and then down at his formation. Him and Arno had quickly came to the same conclusion They would be hit by the sandstorm before reaching the village, but twenty five thousand men would easily overcome the four thousand there.

The smoke from the musket fire became visible in the distance as the wall of sand washed over them. Arno squinted his eyes as the wind struck. He had never experienced such A strong force of nature. The wind was blasting and the tiny sand particulates were scratching at any exposed skin.

Unable to keep his eyes open his looked in Napoleons direction and yelled over the rush of wind.

"This must be what hell is like!"

"Id imagine so!" Napoleon yelled back.

The marching column had slowed down but they were getting close to the village. Napoleon yelled to his aid orders to be brought down the line.

"We shall fight house to house to stay out of the elements!" The aid quickly took off riding down the line, much slower than Arno just had done.

Napoleon looked at Arno cupping a hand around his eyes to shield them from the wind.

"What do you think friend?! Can you still swing your Assassin tricks despite this weather?!" He asked.

"I can do my best!" Arno yelled back through the mouthfuls of sand.

"Right then, go ensure this enemy isn't armed with any artillery, disable it if you find any!"

Arno flashed him a thumbs up and snapped his camel's reins and rode off into the storm.

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July 1798 - Demenhour, Egypt

Arno rode blindly towards the sound of gunfire, the sand gunking up in his eyes and mouth despite the presence of his scarf. He saw the first signs of hard structures through the sand. He dismounted his camel and tied it off to a fence post.

He moved slowly throughout the sand to the first building and kicked open the door. He stepped inside and quickly threw the door back shut, which silenced the roaring winds to Arno's ears. The house was an empty one room shack, Arno shook the sand off of himself and began to consider how to approach this problem.

_'Utilize my Eagle Sense from house to house and see if there are enemies around?'_ He thought to himself as he continues to brush himself off, realizing he would never again be un-dusty.

Arno closed his eyes for a moment and opened them slowly, the world around him was suddenly blue in hue and red figures adorned the distance, through the wall he was just looking at. Then, an idea struck him.

_'I can't say I've ever tried it...but when have I ever needed to...'_

He slowly closed his eyes and the blue hue of the world got slightly darker, but the red figures and the walls and doors of other buildings were still discernible. Arno reached down to the end of his jacket and tore off a ribbon of fabric. He placed it over his eyes and tied it as tight as he could muster.

He was going to fight with his eyes closed.

Arno drew his scimitar and walked back towards the door. Taking a deep breath through his scarf he threw it back open and moved toward the red figures in the distance. The howling wind was aggravating to his ears, but it concealed his quick moving foot steps in the sand.

As he closed in on his targets he looked over their armaments.

_'Just muskets'_ Arno thought to himself. 'They stand no chance against Napoleon and his men.'

While Arno wanted to get to Cairo there was no need for these men to die, but due to the language barrier and the sandstorm getting the message across would be impossible.

Arno thought for a moment crouched in the open watching the men of the unit occupying the village lobbing fire out at the French Fleet. He wasn't sure what to do, but staying in the line of fire certainly wasn't it. Arno glanced around and decided he would get a birds eye view to avoid being on the ground level when the French Army arrived.

He moved to the mosque minaret that was a few hundred feet away, sheathed his sword,and quickly scaled it, it was almost a fourth of the height of the Alexandria minaret. Then and idea crossed Arno's mind.

He reached back and touched one of his belt pouches, it was full. He could cause some in-fighting in the ranks and when the French arrived the local army might rout back to prevent the unnecessary deaths.

It was a dangerous strategy, but it made the choice of retreat and easier option for a competent general. Arno removed the Berserk Darts from his pouch and lined them up on the railing in front of him.

He adjusted his blindfold down slightly and sand had been slipping underneath and then grabbed the first dart, loaded it, and aimed down at the ranks with his Phantom Blade Nicholas had gifted him.

He selected his target wisely, the largest man he could find. With a loud 'chunk' sound the dart like blade when flying through the air and pierced the mans side. He slowed down for a moment exhibiting signs of exhaustion then suddenly began wildly swinging his pole arm about.

The men around him fled, some tried to fight back, but it could not be argued that Arno had just broken unit cohesion.

Arno sighted up large fighters 4 more times and sent the ranks of the local force into disarray, men striking the fighters he had poisoned, some men fighting among themselves.

Then the unmistakable sound of musket fire rang out once again. The group of fighting local soldiers screamed and began to scatter into the surrounding houses. Arno looked up and a huge flank for green figures had fired in on the village.

The attack had officially started.

__**Two hours later**____

The storm had finally subsided and the fighting was resolved

Arno watched, un-blindfolded, from his perch atop the mosque, as what was left of the local army was forced out of their hiding places and into the desert. The French had inflicted quite a number of casualties, however many of the men had been able to flee the site.

Arno liked to think he had saved some lives, but if tensions escalated and larger forces closed with Napoleons army he wouldn't have much choice, but to take lives out of necessity of self defense.

"You up there." Napoleons voice called from below him. Arno looked down to see Napoleon, looking as clean as ever on his horse at the base of the mosque.

"They had no cannons I see." He added.

"Decided to stay out of your men's way and sow some ideas of retreat into the rear ranks." Arno said justifying his position.

"Seems to have worked." Napoleon yelled up "Come down, we're going to have dinner prepared soon...we'll be staying the night here to tend the wounded and make sure the storm winds have fully passed."

Arno climbed up onto the ledge of the balcony spread his arm and executed the Leap of Faith into a hay cart below. He hopped up and looked at Napoleon.

"How are you so damn clean...was was quite literally just raining sand." Arno said further brushing off his now tan looking blue coat.

"I have my methods, looking presentable is one of my many strong suits." Napoleon said in return.

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July 1798 – Near the Great Pyramids of Giza

The desert air was clouded with the smoke of prolonged rifle fire. Casualties of a battle were strewn about the desert sand. The French Force was organized in a large box formation.

"Hold the Box formation!" Arno screamed through the hazy battlefield air. The formation had moved on from the village and closer to Cairo. They had encountered a huge force of local fighters just as the Great Pyramids had crested the horizon.

Arno rode atop his camel inside the box formation, doing his best to keep the troops on line. Napoleon had quickly devised the strategy of a box for each division under his command. Arno knew Napoleon was only concerned with the cavalry, containing them was his main priority as they did have a distinguished reputation.

However the opening of the battle had seen them repelled by musket fire and the infantry was putting up very little fight. Arno snatched a rifle from a man beside his mount and took aim outside the ranks of the formation.

He gently began to squeeze the trigger, but just before the maximum pressure was achieved he watched the enemies leadership call a retreat, and their men turned and began to flee.

"Cease fire! Cease Fire! Stand fast and get accountability of your men." The losses and wounds did not seem heavy at all on his side of the formation. Arno looked down and handed the rifle back to it's owner.

"Lieutenant, take command. I'll relay new of our success to Napoleon." The man nodded and Arno snapped his camel's reins, the rank of soldiers parting ahead of him so he could go give word to Napoleon.

There were thousands of enemy bodies littering the area around the formation, his camel seemed even cautious as to where it was stepping, the further they got from where the fighting had happened the cleaner the sand and the faster the camel traveled.

Arno arrived at Napoleons tent and quickly jumped down from his camel and walked inside. Napoleon was sitting at a make shift desk staring down at a gold ball like object on his desk.

"Spoils of War?" Arno asked pointing at the gold ball.

"Something like that." Napoleon said, quickly shuffling it to a bag of his on he ground next to him. "You have good news to report I assume?" he asked

"Yes, the local fighters have routed. We sustained minimal casualties." Arno responded.

"Excellent, that means all of the divisions are cleared of fighting. I'm going to have them stay in place with a 50 percent guard to tend and treat the wounded before we push to Cairo." Napoleon expanded standing up from behind his desk.

"So I would have time to make a visit to the Pyramids then..." Arno asked.

"On one condition." Napoleon said looking very serious.

"...Yes?" Arno said waited for him to expand on his thought.

"I'd like to come with you...See one of the wonders of the ancient world." Napoleon smiled.

Arno grinned in return. It would be nice to have company, to share such an interesting moment with a friend.

_Several Hours Later_

Napoleon, his personal guards, and Arno arrived at the base of the Pyramids. Their giant monolithic stature rose over the men. Arno was filled with a sense of awe and wonder that he simply couldn't explain, he certainly thought that they would be much shorter.

Arno glanced at each pyramid. He wasn't sure which one he needed to enter...and wasn't exactly keen on messing around too much in potentially unstable ancient architecture.

He closed his eyes and activated his Eagle Vision. He then saw a golden glowing entry way. Throwing up his arm and pointing directly at it he said.

"There, that's where I need to enter."

"You are quite adept at finding places people wanted hidden aren't you?" Napoleon said sarcastically, as Arno dismounted. And walked up to the decaying outer walls of the Great Pyramid.

"Men, stay here and wait for us. Make sure we aren't bothered." Napoleon said to he personal guards as he too dismounted and was handed a set of torches. One of the guards lit them before Napoleon turned one of them over to Arno. Holding the torch, Arno scrambled up to the entrance and looked into the dark hall.

The document he had recovered stated that the Book he was seeking was located in the subterranean chamber. The path led downwards, so this was in fact the right way. Arno squeezed himself into the space and began traveling down the cool drafty passage, looking all around him for any signs of booby traps or structural insecurity. Napoleon was following close behind him.

Arno glanced up and saw another passage leading upwards. He stopped for moment to contemplate it.

"The kings burial chamber I'm sure" Napoleon said from behind him.

"What makes you think that?" Arno asked.

"You're King of a civilization that can make a structure like this...and what you have people ury you below it?"

Arno thought it over and nodded.

"Makes sense."

"I'm going to go take a look." Napoleon said motioning for Arno to give him a boost up. Arno droped to a knee and allowed Napoleon to climb him and get into the other passage.

"I'll be right there, I'm going to check the lower area." Arno wasn't really sure how expansive the internal structure of the pyramid was, but once Napoleon was up he continues alone into the pyramid.

Arno contemplated the eeriness of going further into the pyramid alone, specifically for Napoleon, who was going towards what he believed to be a burial chamber. After a bit of walking the floor leveled out into a decent sized room. He had reached the subterranean chamber. It looked completely empty and desolate.

Arno tried to determine the rooms purpose, a burial chamber, a place to store the Kings riches, or something else entirely. Looking around for a moment, and not seeing what he was looking for he activated his eagle vision. Suddenly the room became illuminated by hieroglyphs and script writing Arno didn't understand.

It all however seemed to point to one corner of the room where it culminated in a box like shape. Arno placed his hands against the box shape trying to feel for a button or lever. Then slight crunch noise was heard. The stone drawer opened and slid out, seemingly on it's own, revealing a thick, gold cover bound book.

Arno reached into the drawer and picked it up, expecting it to be heavy, but it was however, deceptively light. Much as the Sword that killed Elise was.

Arno tucked the book under his arm and began walking back up the corridor to the exit. He quickly arrived at the junction where he had helped Napoleon up. Getting up himself, he walked upwards towards the glow of Napoleon's torch.

He entered the room that Napoleon was standing in, in it was a beautiful coffin and the walls were painted with amazing hieroglyphs featuring Egyptian gods and the exploits of the King.

Before a word could escape Arno's mouth the book in his hands began to glow and he and Napoleons gazed became fixed on it. The world seemed to freeze as a projection Elise came from the book itself.

Arno looked at her, scars from their fight with Germain healed but visible on her face and arms.

"Elise..." He said silently out loud tears beginning to collect in the corners of his eyes.

"Arno, I'm here." She responded simply her projected figure not, but a foot from his own physical one now.

"I miss you...since you died I've been, lost." Arno reached up to touch her cheek the tears streaming from his eyes freely now. Seeing her again was creating a rush of emotion he couldn't handle.

"Elise. I love you, I miss you so much." Arno chocked through his tears.

"I love you too Ar-" Elise said before she was cut off and disappeared. Behind where her projection had stood Napoleon holding the golden globe from his makeshift office. It glowed a vibrant gold color just as Elise's projection had.

"I hate to break up this reunion, but I think I'll be taking that book." Napoleon said darkly, very differently from his normal casual tone.

Arno wanted to yell at Napoleon. Curse at him for stopping his reunion with Elise, but his muscles were frozen as he was enveloped in the golden glow of the ball in Napoleon's hand.

Napoleon walked over to him and took the book from under his arm.

"Why thank you Arno, have a good night." He said as he walked out of the chamber. The further Napoleon got from him the more control he had over his muscles. Suddenly he was able to cry out.

"Napoleon I thought we were friends!" He arms and legs still locked in place.

From down the chamber Arno heard Napoleons response.

"I'm not in the friend business anymore...I'm in the business of building empires." His last words faded away and Arno stood stuck there in the fading flickering light of his torch.

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July 1798 – Great Pyramids of Giza

Arno stood there, frozen in the ever dimming light of his torch. His tears over seeing Elise again had dried on his face, and he knew better than to keep yelling, Napoleon was long gone. Suddenly as fast as it had come on the 'muscle freeze' he had experienced faded and he collapsed to the floor.

Everyone of his muscles screamed in anguish, as an Assassin he had taken many falls and put his body through intense physical trials. The pain he experienced after getting control back, was nothing he had ever felt before.

_'Fuck'_ Arno though to himself crawling o the floor to his torch and grabbing it off the chamber floor. He slowly lifted it and brought it to his face. He blew on it several time in an attempt to stoke the flames back to life.

"Alright, I need to get out of here." Arno said to the golden glowing walls in an act of self talk that served to give him small steps to accomplish because after having the Book in his hand, seeing Elise, and being betrayed by a man he considered a friend. He needed small goals he could accomplish.

He struggled to his feet and began a slow descent out of the Pyramid and back to the entrance. He Reached the external door and tossed his torch behind him. He peeked over the edge, paranoid that Napoleon had left part of his guard to kill him on his exit from the pyramid. Instead he looked down and saw his camel lying on the desert dirt, bleeding out.

_'And he had my camel killed, if that's not kicking dirt in this wound I don't know what is.' _Arno though as he slipped out of the pyramid and climbed down to the ground. Fortunately Cairo was within eye sight of the pyramids. Arno would get into the city and be scarce for a bit, from there he could plan how to get his Book back and get out of Egypt.

_Several hours later_

Arno walked though the empty streets of night time Cairo, he had no idea where he was going to turn for help. Nicholas had been his first thought, but last Arno knew he was back in Alexandria...and still technically under the employ of the man who betrayed him.

The light patter of feet rung in Arno's ears. He sluggishly turned around to see the white robed Templar woman charging at him. He moved his hand to his sword, but his muscles were too sore to draw it. Before he knew it she had tackled him into the ground and pointed her fist to his face.

She flexed her wrist back and 2 independent parts of a single blade came from either side of her bracer and met int the middle to form a single 'hidden blade' styled wrist blade. Arno knew the model as a 'Wolf Blade' a Templar created variant.

"Where is it." She said in her British accented English.

"Where's what?" Arno responded

"You know what, the Piece of Eden from the pyramid. I tracked you from there."

"I don't have it, it was taken from me." Arno said weakly as the woman got off of him and retracted her wrist blade.

"Well than who has it?" She asked clearly getting impatient as Arno struggled to his feet, but he was starting to formulate a plan in his head.

"That is the question now isn't it" He laughed, his chest throbbed with muscle pain.

The Templar drew her sword and pointed at Arno's heart, flipping her blonde hair back and out of her eyes with a toss of her head.

"Now Assassin. I can tell your weak, killing you wouldn't take much effort on my part." She said inching the blade closer.

"Then the information on two Pieces of Eden would die right here." Arno said looking back at her.

"I'm sorry...Two?" She said her sword lowering.

"The man who has the book also had an orb like Piece." Arno responded watching the Templar woman's eyebrows raise. He had her on the hook now.

"...oh shit...I think I'm in over my head." She said sheathing her sword, Arno was picking up that she was here with little support as well, sans the guy Arno killed that was with her, but he decided to let that subject rest for a moment.

"No Support?" Arno asked.

"No, I was sent to serve with another Templar, as an Envoy to Admiral Nelsons Fleet. Saw you board a vessel, assumed you would be coming here for a Piece of Eden. I of course intended to stop you..."

"Cheers." Arno said flatly raising a hand

"...However Admiral Nelson wouldn't believe me, so he left and me and my associate, the one you killed stayed."

"Sorry about that...he was a bigger fellow and came right at me."

She waved her hand dismissing the notion that he should be apologizing.

"It's fine, sometimes it's better when higher ups don't have such close over sight on their agents."

Arno's head began to spin, not because of the discussion, but simply because of his level of exhaustion from his encounter with Napoleon. He stumbled over to a bench and collapsed down on it. Despite this he figured now would be an appropriate time to ask the question.

"That being said...have you any interest in working together to recover the Pieces...each take one and be our respective organizations golden child for a bit?"

She looked at him critically for a moment.

"If it helps I was raised by Francois De La Serre, a Grandmaster of the French Rite." He said responding to her critical gaze.

"If that's the case then who did this belong to?" She said holding up, and then opening her hand, Elise's Templar Cross necklace falling just to get caught by a repaired chain wrapped around the woman's finger.

Arno's eyes widened, with the incident in the Kings chamber and seeing Elise alive again he had forgotten completely about the necklace and it's loss.

"The daughter of Grandmaster de la Serre, Elise, a Templar, and the woman I intended to marry." Arno said.

The woman looked at the necklace then at Arno. She consolidated it into her hand, and sat down on the bench next to him. She extended the necklace at him, and he replaced it around his neck.

"I bet that was a complicated relationship."She said with a grin

"You have no idea." Arno laughed in return.

"So, since we're partners now what is you name." The woman asked.

"Arno, and yourself?"

"Lucile." The woman said, before continuing. "I've rented a room here in Cairo...should you want to rest, it's a few blocks from here." Arno nodded and struggled to his feet, and with Lucile's assistance the two walked away from the bench.

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October 1798 - Cairo

_'In the desert the morning air is the freshest, It's all downhill from there.' _Arno thought to himself as he gazed out his window.

Arno was seated at the small table inside of Lucile's small apartment. It had been four months since Napoleon had betrayed Arno, but as he stared down into his tea the cut was just as fresh. He had been spending the past couple months watching French movements and trying to get a fix on Napoleon's location to steal back the Book.

He had been blessed with a stroke of luck, Napoleon's fleet had been crushed by the British fleet around the same time they had their confrontation in the Pyramids. This, conveniently, meant that Napoleon was trapped here in Egypt with him. Unless that orb, or what he thought to be an Apple, could magically transport him back to France as the Sword had done to Gremaine in Paris so many years ago.

Before he could react Lucile swung through the open window the table over looked, the blade of her Naginata catching his tea cups handle and nicking it slightly.

"Hey watch it, this is what I'm saying that pole length weapon make prescience movement tough." Arno said examining the damage and then the tea to ensure no debris had found it's way in.

Lucile was breathing heavily, she brushed her blonde hair out of her face and dropped her leather utility belt onto the floor.

"First of all, the Naginata has some personal value to me, I'm also no good with a sword. I'll stick with what works." She said examining the kettle on the stove Arno had used to prepare tea. Arno knew that the polearm carried a lot of value to her. He had asked about it over the past few month and only ever been told it was a gift from a friend. It was just a very odd weapon for a British Templar to be carrying.

"There's still some left." He stated matter of factually.

"Good, I've had a long night. I could go for some wine but tea will do for now."

"Good news I hope?" Arno asked.

"Well, maybe." Lucile said. "The Imams here in Cairo have started some unrest, people who will follow them have been called to arms against the French. Also there is word someone 'of importance' will be at the marketplace for an appearance today."

Arno nodded to himself, that was all pretty good news, with any luck this visitor would be Napoleon himself and Arno could trail him to his new office.

"Anything else?" Arno asked

"Well yes, and here's the bad parts-" Lucile started.

"I'm sorry 'parts' " Arno interrupted

"Yes, the first is that the French are amassing cannons on the Citadel. The next one is those men participating in the Revolt have sworn to kill Frenchmen...so I'd watch out." Lucile finished finally taking a sip from her tea.

"Damn." Arno said aloud his thoughts churning, before his mind settled on a plan. "No scratch that, I have a plan."

"A plan for what?" Lucile said cupping her tea cup in both hands.

"To watch over the marketplace for this, distinguished visitor, without getting impaled by a bunch of rightfully upset locals." Arno replied.

"Alright what's the plan?" Lucile asked.

"You'll see, just get into the mindset to think like an Assassin." Arno said, silently remembering the time Elise told him he may have to think like a Templar at Robespierre's Feast event.

_'Several Hours Later'_

"Here, put that on" Arno said tossing a light blue pile of fabric onto Lucile's lap. "The crowds are thickening, and more and more weapons are on the street. The marketplace visitor is still rumored to be appearing, but there will be many armed men with him."

Lucile stood up and fiddled with the fabric Arno had given her.

"What the hell is this thing..." Lucile questioned.

"A conservative Muslim garment...I borrowed them from a cloths rack down the way. I have a green one." Arno said holding it up.

While not all women of Egypt chose to wear such garments there were many from very conservative families who did. The complete coverage would allow for them to go unnoticed in the crowd, while waiting for the appearance of this visitor to tail.

"This look ridiculous." Lucile from under the cover of the garment.

"No it looks inconspicuous, think like an Assassin remember?" Arno said as he dropped his own sword belt and slipped into the bulky garment.

"How am I supposed to fight like this Arno?" Lucile asked picking up her Naginata polearm and striking an awkward pose.

"You'd fight poorly. Come here." Arno slipped his left bracer off and extended it to Lucile.

She leaned her Naginata against the wall gently and reached out gingerly cradling the Phantom Blade in her hands.

"It'll compliment that Wolf blade of yours nicely." Arno said with a grin.

"But Arno, what if you ne-" Lucile Started

"Trust me I wont" Arno was planning on keeping this mission 100% stealth he shouldn't need much more than the Hidden Blade Feature of his Phantom Blade, and that's only assuming that he needed to take someone out quietly, or he had the opportunity to Assassinate a French General or Napoleon himself.

Arno shifted the outfit around and looked at Lucile. "Ready?"

"Yes" She responded "The visitor should be in the market any time now."

Arno began walking for the door. The restrictive nature of the guise he had chose was concerning. Running or free running simply wasn't going to be possible. He could hike up the skirt like portion of the garment but that would disable his hands.

Hopefully, this simple watch, observe, and maybe tail mission wouldn't fall apart in that spectacular of a fashion, with the right level of luck it may lead Arno back to the Book so he could start trying to get out of Egypt.

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October 1798 – Cairo

The crowd was thick and unruly in the marketplace. Arno moved through the crowd side by side with Lucile. His vision was obscured by the lace eye panel of the garment.

"Nothing yet." Lucile whispered, nodding towards the square.

Arno was beginning to wonder if this visitor, wasn't coming and he was beginning to get over heated in the bulky over-wear. Just as Arno prepared to turn to Lucile and call off the operation the crowd erupted in anger.

Arno stretched his his neck to see over the muskets and spears of the angry crowd to see a column of marching French soldiers with an Officer in the rear on a horse. Arno reached out and grabbed Lucile's wrist tugging her towards the oncoming formation. Arno had to see if the man on the horse was Napoleon.

As they got closer Arno could see that the man was clearly a high ranking French officer.

_'This could be it.' _he thought to himself.

Just as he stepped up to look at the officer a shot rang out. Arno reacted instinctively and dropped as fast as he could. He did know who fired the shot but the marketplace was in complete bedlam. Arno tugged Lucile close and yelled.

"Go! Head back I'll meet you there!" He let her go and she took off jogging away from the mayhem. Arno turn and saw the horse at the other end of the court yard it's rider obscured by smoke. Arno, still in his disguise, moved through the crowd.

Screams of the French Army were audible, it seemed like they had formed a skirmish line and were trying their best to hold back the rioters. As Arno reached within 30 feet of the line a huge clap of thunder sprang out.

It was deafening, almost the entirety of the riot and French stopped to look up, golden tinted storm clouds. Arno glanced at them briefly and thought to himself.

'Those are no normal clouds.' He pulled one arm out of the sleeve of his disguise and reached over and grabbed the other side with his other arm. The firing had ceased and the French line was now battling back the rioters with bayonets. Just as Arno reached the line he looked up at the horse and struck with a small amount of disappointment. The man on the horse was not Napoleon it was General Dupuy, a lower ranking General in Napoleons campaign.

Frustrated Arno tore off his disguise and ran at the skirmish line. He dove through the line in between two soldiers. He rolled back to his feet in front of a French non-commissioned officer. Arno cocked his arm back and delivered a heavy blow into the man's throat with his left hand while simultaneously grabbing the man saber with his right hand.

Arno drew the man sword and slashed one of the soldiers who broke ranks to chase him. He turned to General Dupuy whose horse was bucking back with all the commotion.

Arno stepped forward and drew the sword across the horse's right front leg as it came back to the ground. With its muscles severed by the cut the horse collapsed tossing it's rider. Arno looked down at General Dupuy who was struggling to get back to his feet. Arno held his sabers point down at him.

"I'll be sure to give Napoleon you resignation." Arno swung the sword around and cleaved Dupuy's head almost clear off his body. With that Arno watched around him as the French soldiers broke rank and closed in on him as the crowd around them re exploded in noise and gun fire.

Arno tossed down the saber and took off sprinting, this certainly wasn't how he planned the operation, but the gunfire and his lack of visibility on the horsed officer led him to make some rather foolish decisions. He slipped into an alley and hid in a small tool-shed. The pattering of feet rushing by either side of the alley indicated he had quite a few French soldiers out looking for him.

Slowly the footsteps died down and Arno poked his head out of the tool shed and looked around.

'Seems clear enough' He thought to himself while planning a route back to the apartment where he was supposed to meet Lucile. Arno stepped out into the street and heard from behind him a gruff voice.

"There he is!" Arno turned and saw 3 brutish looking men with Naval axes.

Arno got low into a fighting stance keeping his palms open, he would have to get one of those axes and then take the other two men. He had a sinking feeling that this was going to end in some grievous injury on his part.

Just as the men began to advance on him 2 musket shots ran out behind him. Arno quickly ducked, reacting as he always does but keeping his eyes on his aggressors.

Two of them dropped with the musket fire. Arno went to stand back up and he heard Lucile yell.

"Arno stay down!" Above his head he heard a whistling for just a moment and then the man, just as he reached Arno's position was struck with the Naginata in the chest. Arno looked up at the impact, blood splattering all over his face and the weapon buried down to it's hilt in the mans chest. The man's lifeless body slumped on top of Arno.

He shoved the body of the man off of him and stood up wiping the blood off his face.

"Think like an Assassin huh?" Lucile mocked placing a foot on the mans body and removing her pole-arm.

"Yeah, something like that. Thanks." Arno said brushing he sleeves off. " I think Napoleon is using the Apple to generate this storm...the clouds have that peculiar gold glow about them."

"Well it's probably best we get inside then isn't it." Lucile said obviously as she took off walking.

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December 1798 - Cairo

"Lucile...Lucile?!" Arno said barging through the door to the small Cairo apartment. The air was still Lucile wasn't answering his calls, it wasn't like her to be out this late without leaving a note. Arno pulled his sword from it's sheath, the still air in the apartment raising his suspicions about foul play.

He walked over to the one door in the apartment and tossed it open. There stood Lucile in a partial state of undress, who turned and screamed.

"Arno, what the hell get out!" Pulling her clothing to her body as Arno shamefully staggered back shielding his eyes.

"Sorry! Sorry! Didn't you hear me call when I came in?"

"Clearly Not!" Lucile responded with hostility closing the door again.

"Well can you hear me now?" Arno asked desperately wanting to share his findings with her.

"Yes." She responded flatly

"Great," Arno started as he began to remove his equipment. "So I had some...words...with a French Officer today who said Napoleon maybe returning to France. He is in the process of getting a non-military vessel right now"

The door to the room opened and Lucile emerged wearing a light blue night garment, she walked past Arno and collapsed into one of the chairs.

"Which means" She said "We need to find a way to get a ship or stop Napoleon from leaving we have him contained with the Pieces of Eden right now if he leaves, God knows what will happen"

Arno nodded along, now completely out of his fighting gear. He fished around under his shirt and pulled Elise's necklace to the top level of his garments.

"Right, I'm thinking it would be best to beat him to France or try to intercept him enroute." He said sitting down in another chair.

"It sounds like you already have a plan." Lucile said mockingly.

"I do...but I dunno if you're going to like it" Arno said with a big grin on his face.

Lucile sighed and kicked her feet up onto of a foot rest in front of her. "Hit me"

"First we need to leave Cairo and Return to Alexandria. We then need to steal a small ship, and stalk Napoleons departure." Arno said simply.

Lucile lifted her hand to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose, as if she was in deep and intensive thought.

"Alright let me get this straight, you want to return to Alexandria...which is were Napoleon has the strongest foothold in Egypt. Steal a ship from the presumably well guarded ship yard, to sail, with God knows what crew, back to France." Lucile asked in the most condescending tone she could muster.

"Wouldn't it be 'The Father of Understanding knows what crew' to you lot" Arno mocked before carrying on "That's exactly what we're going to do. I have a friend who was in Napoleons employ that might help us."

"Might?" Lucile asked raising an eyebrow.

"Okay fine. Will help us. " Arno said matter of factly.

"Well it's settled then, We ride for Alexandria in the morning." Lucile said not completely buying the plan, but they had been stationary in Cairo for too long and any sort of movement that would bring them closer to the Pieces of Eden and to getting out of Egypt was good I her book.

Arno got up from his seat and walked over to examine the tea pot and pots in the kitchen area.

"So seeing as it's our last meal in this humble abode, what do you say we cook up something worth eating to give us strength for our trip?" He said grabbing an onion he had picked up from the market earlier in the day from his bag.

"Sounds Good" Lucile said with a smirk.

_1 Hour Later_

"Dinner. Served" Arno said putting down a bowl of soup in front of Lucile. Soup certianly wasn't traditional desert food but with the sun being down and it being late in the year the desert got quite cold at night and it was a great way to take the edge off. " But wait! What is a meal with out some fine wine"

Arno said revealing a bottle he hid behind his back

"Bordeaux!" Lucile said with excitement "Thats your favorite, how did you come by it."

"Apparently it's Colonel Turscot's favorite as well. Soup and wine isn't a great pairing, but this are rough out here" Arno said with a smirk as he poured her a glass.

He retrieved his soup bowl and poured himself some wine and sat down.

"You know I've never asked. That first time we fought in the library...did you cut one of my musketballs out of the air."

Lucile looked up from her soup with an eyebrow raised.

"Maybe...why?" She said with a bit of suspicion in her voice.

"No reason I just remember seeing you dodge all the fire I could send at you and there was one round that made a different noise. I remember being impressed at the time...pissed but impressed." Arno laughed.

Luciles tone lightened. " Yeah I did, it is honestly sort of a parlor trick I learned from my friend Chiyo"

"Parlor Trick huh...I dunno if that's what I'd call it." He laughed to himself taking a sip of wine. "and Chiyo, she's the mysterious polearm benefactor right?" Arno asked.

"She is indeed." Lucile smiled back


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December 1798 - Alexandria

The sun was low on the horizon when Alexandria came into Arno's view. The rays of the sun shone brightly through the cloud of desert dust that hung over the city. Painting it in a handsome orange glow. Arno turned around on his camel and called down to Lucile whose mount was struggling to make the ascent up the hill.

"We're here!"

"Thank God." Lucile called back preceding to mumble under her breath about the stench of the camel she rode. Arno turned his eyes back to the city knowing that Nicholas's workshop was close to the docks and getting there would be no easy feat.

He reached down and fished a small telescope from his gear inside the riding bags. He extended it and peered towards the ship yard.

All seemed quiet, though Arno knew without a doubt that the yard was being guarded at least by land if not patrolled by small vessels. He heard Lucile and her camel reach the top of the hill, he closed the telescope and looked at her.

"Are you quite finished then?" He asked

She gave him a stern look and snapped the reins of her camel beginning the decent into Alexandria.

Several Hours Later

Lucile poked her head out from and alleyways checking both directions, and quickly pulled back, readjusting the scarf she wore obscuring her face.

"There's one small set of guards in the court yard." Lucile stated to Arno who was standing right beside him. "We could split up and take two each?" She suggested.

Arno thought for a moment and shook his head. "No reason to spill blood, we'll do the 'Act Casual'"

Lucile looked at him with her head cocked about to open her mouth, but before she could protest Arno grabbed her arm and commenced a slow walk across the courtyard towards the door of Nicholas's workshop.

The courtyard was bustling with activity and Arno and Lucile fit right in with the crowd. The guards in the square paid them no mind. Arno stopped at the door and quickly checked the handle. He opened the door and pulled Lucile inside.

The workshop was dank and musty, with contraptions of all sorts hanging from the walls and ceiling. Arno removed the scarf covering his face and called for Nicholas.

"Nicholas? Nicholas, are you here?"

Arno stepped closer to the center of the workshop when a shuffling noise could be heard from behind one of the shelves. Then from a dark corner Nicholas's figure appeared.

"Arno?" He said coldy dumb founded.

"Nicholas!" Arno said moving towards him for an embrace.

Nicholas put his hand up and stopped Arno's approach.

"They said you died at the Battle of the Pyramids...how...how are you even here?"

"It's a long story, I was betry-" Arno started, but before he could finish his though Lucile grabbed him by his arm and pulled him behind the shelving unit Nicholas had emerged from, slamming him against the wall and pressing her finger to his lips. Arno groaned slightly from the wind being knocked out of him but quickly silenced himself. Lucile silently hissed at Nicholas.

"We're not here."

The door to the work shop opened and a French Officer strode in leaving the door ajar flooding the workshop with light. Accompanying him was at least 5 guards.

"Mister Conte" The officer said striding to meet Nicholas in the center of the workshop. " I assume that the preparations for tonight's balloon demonstration are on track."

"I told the General yesterday we would have to delay again, the balloon simply isn't ready." Nicholas said meekly.

"Well the General has decided the balloon with fly tonight regardless, so make your preparations" The officer said turning on his heel and storming out with his guards, slamming the door closed behind them.

Arno and Lucile audibly let out the breaths they had been holding in throughout the encounter.

"That was close...how did you know?" Arno said to Lucile.

"You're not the only one with special vision." Lucile said flicking him playfully in the forehead.

The two reemerged from behind the shelf.

"Balloon demonstration?" Arno asked with an eyebrow raised.

Nicholas collapsed into his desk chair rubbing his temples with his hands. This was clearly a sore subject for him.

"Yes...yes. General Klieber had wanted a practical demonstration of a ballons ability to ferry troops and cargo during the past New Years celebration. However I had to delay because the balloons act very differently in this dry desert weather." He explained as Arno looked around the room at all the trinkets and inventions that littered the walls. "In the end I just don't want to do it Arno, I know it will end in disaster"

A grin slowly spread across Arno's face.

"Arno what is it?" Lucile asked curious about the devious look he had about him.

"I know how we're going to steal that ship...but we're going to need Nicholas's help" Arno said pulling up a chair and sitting across from Nicholas at his desk. Lucile stepped closer but didn't bother to retrive a chair, opting instead to lean on the desk.

"I'm sorry steal a ship?!" Nicholas exclaimed, as Arno and Lucile simply nodded in response. "Why on earth would you need to steal a ship."

"It is a long story" Lucile said.

"Very long" Arno noted, as Nicholas looked back and forth between the two of them.

"Well I'm going to assure this has something to do with you being reported dead and still alive...but before we press any further with this I must ask Arno...Who is your friend?"Nicholas said gesturing to Lucile.

"Lucile" She responded placing her hand out for a shake, which Nicholas granted.

"Pleasure I'm sure" He said in response. "So Arno what is this plan of yours? And why is it you need my help?"

"Honestly Nicholas, I came here for safe haven. But this balloon lauch of yours is too good to pass up" Arno said.

"You want to steal a ship, using one of my balloons? It'll never work! You'll be seen! The balloon does have enough lift-" Nicholas ranted until Arno cut him off by raising his hand.

"Not using the balloon to steal it, just using the balloon. I'll also need a few other things if you're willing." Arno said. Nicholas thought about it for a moment and looked at Arno and said.

"I would love to help. I'm sure this is important but first you must catch me up over dinner."

Arno smiled and looked at Lucile cocking his head sarcastically as if to ask if whe was willing to eat and she just said.

"Sounds great Nicholas."


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December 1798 – Alexandria

Arno stood in the basket of Nicholas Conte's latest balloon design. He slowly dragged a stone across the already razor sharp tip of a barbed spear.

"You know I don't think that could get any sharper if you tried." Lucile said tossing a heavy and tightly packed bag into the basket with Arno.

"I suppose you right, but I've got one shot I've got to be sure." He said looking at her. "Plus we had just a few hours to put this together."

"Fair Enough" Lucile hopped into the basket and picked up the bag she tossed in and began strapping it to herself. "...and you're sure all this stuff will work right?"

"I read about similar things being used by an Assassin mentor in Italy a long time ago, it'll be fine" Arno assured her as he tested the edge of his spear with his thumb before swinging it around his body with the sling he had fashioned.

The balloon was slowly filling with hot air, a heavy rope netting existed on the outside of it to keep the balloon itself from expanding too far. Arno grabbed this and tugged as hard as he can, doing his best to dislodge it, but he had no success.

"I'm ready to go it seems" Arno announced as Nicholas appeared from around a street corner in an apparent hurry

"The General wants this balloon up as soon as possible." Nicholas said walking over next to the basket and reaching for the heat generating device slowly filling up the balloon. He gave the lever attached to it a few solid tugs and the balloon began to float. "Just pull on that lever at it will get you up in the air...after that the rest is on you."

Arno tugged down on the lever and waved as the balloon soared upwards. "Thank you Nicholas!" He shouted.

"Best of luck, hopefully I'll see you soon! You Assassins are crazy!"

Lucile began to yell back and objection "I'm not a- Blast it I don't think he would be able to hear me"

"Probably not" Arno laughed as the ground below them slowly turned into darkness with the pock marks of light coming from windows of homes, but just off to their left the ocean breeze was carrying a salty smell past their nostrils, no longer blocked by the buildings of Alexandria's coast line. The faint glow of lanterns on the decks of the ships moored in the yard were evidence of life aboard some of the ships. The docks around the yard were alive with light from the guards stationed there to ensure use of the ships in the yard was tightly controlled.

Also visible were the slow, trolling lights of the ships guarding the water side of the yard. After Admiral Nelson's devastation on the French fleet the remaining ships were carefully guarding the rest of Napoleons seaborne assets.

"Alight...this is high enough. Remember when you see the shot, go" Arno said making a vague mental guess on the distances he would have to transverse "I'm going up" He swung his leg over the edge of the basket and gripped the netting. Before he could start pulling himself up he felt a tug of his sleeve. He turned to face Lucile "What?" He asked.

She looked at him for a second and said "Just be careful." giving him 3 light taps on the side of his face with her open hand, before grabbing her end of the rope and tying it off to the basket.

Arno smiled back responding "You too." as he started pulling himself up the balloons netting to the top of the balloon. The warm skin of the balloon brought life into his stiff fingers, the air and wind at the altitude they were at was quite chill. He crested the top of the balloon and stood on the platform Nicholas had hastily fashioned to the top of the frame and on it was secured a replica of the famed Da Vinci Flying Device.

He peaked down the hole in the balloon and felt the blast of rising hot air on his face and yelled.

"Lucile, Get ready...!"

"Ready!" She yelled back up

Arno walked over to the Flying Device and picked it up, getting into the pilots position.

'Hopefully Mentor Ezio wasn't lying about this.' Arno thought as he examined some of the changes Nicholas had made from the original. Most notable a level like the one on the balloon which operated a micro balloon on the back of the device to provide lift and a pilots restrain to keep the pilot attached but allowing use of his arms. Arno shuffled his spear into a more comfortable spot and checked the rope attached to it, he was ready to fly.

Or was he, his thoughts raced. Of all the leaps he had ever taken this way the highest, the one where failure was most certain. But it was also a leap of faith in trusting the writings of the Mentor of the Italian Brotherhood from the Renaissance. Arno felt the butterflies swimming through his stomach in a way they hadn't since he leapt from the Bastille with Bellec.

Arno took a couple deep calming breath before sprinting forward and jumping him and his winglike contraption into the dark unknown of the Egyptian night air. Arno was first overcome with the falling sensation that accompanied his normal leaps. However despite still falling the sensation faded. Arno pulled back on the control bar and squeezed the lever for the lift device Nicholas designed.

Quickly the falling gave way to gliding as Arno rocketed downwards towards the ship he had chosen. It was a small 2 Masted Sloop of War which resided on the outer part of the ship yard, probably guarded by no more than 10 men while docked. Arno glanced behind him to ensure the rope was still following him freely.

He then checked forwards and saw the sloop closing in fast. He gripped the lever giving the flying device substantial lift for the moment, grabbed his razor sharp barbed spear and took aim.

He waited for the ideal moment before hurling the spear forward at the deck of the ship. It got there just before Arno arced his flight-path upwards. A deafening thud resonated through the air. Arno tried to see if the spear had buried down to the barbs but he was already past the ship and losing altitude fast. He pushed on the control bar and the flying device arced up loosing it's speed in it's climb.

Arno undid Nicholas's crude restraint system and jumped away from the flying device about 30 feet above the water and 200 feet away from the sloop. He reached for his gauntlet and pulled the trigger on the hidden gun in mid-air, a blast shot from it signaling the spear and rope was in place.

At least Arno hoped it was.

He hit the water hard, colorful blobs and shapes clouded his vision for a moment, but he quickly regained himself and looked up at the balloon he had jumped from several thousand feet above him. It was completely engulfed in flame.


	22. Cross Refrenced Memory 3

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/ Cross Referenced Memory 3

December 1798 – Alexandria

Lucile watched Arno descend in the flying device by tracking the faint glow of the small balloon as it fell gracefully to Earth.

"Damn." She mumbled to herself knowing she hand never believed she would see a human fly in her life time. She adjusted the heavy straps of her pack and recovered the Naginata off the floor of the balloons basket. She watched the faint glow of the flying devices balloon pass over the 2 masted sloop that they had decided on.

Lucile pulled down on the lever to give the balloon more altitude. She watched the rope waiting, and waiting for it to go taught. Then a distinct smell hit her nostrils, that of smoke. Not smoke like the faint wisps that come of the balloons power supply. She glanced up ward and saw the skin of the balloon was beginning to burn.

"Damn it!" She screamed swinging her leg up and dropping it onto the lever snapping it into the down position feeding constant hot air into the balloon. She scooped a hook like tool off the ground. She couldn't wait any longer, she leapt from the basket Naginata in one hand, hook in the other. She threw the hook around the rope just as it went taught.

She glanced back at the flaming balloon whispering to her self as she plummeted towards the ship.

"Please stay up, Please stay up."

She glance down seeing the ship was approaching, she slammed the hilt of her naginata against the rope to function as a makeshift brake to slow her decent. With only a hundred feet left she felt the line start to give away glancing back at the balloon for just a moment to see it careening to the ground in an impressive ball of fire.

Lucile let go of the rope and allowed herself to fall 50 feet into the murky water of the ship yard to avoid being victim to the line giving out. She skipped across the water with her speed and finally came to rest a mere 25 feet away from the sloop. She side stroked over to it, still firmly gripping her naginata and found an adequate climbing route to the deck.

She heaved herself up despite lacking a free hand and collapsed for a moment on the deck sopping wet and with a heart that was pounding out of her chest.

"I'm going to kill him...kill him" She mumbled to herself as she slowly got up using her naginata to assist her up. Her body was sore, huge bruises were certainly coming thanks to her functioning as a human skipping stone after falling from the rope.

She looked around and despite the impressive spectacle of a balloon fireball no guards or sailors to be seen. She walked down the deck and observed the masts, before setting her eyes on the spear Arno had be sharpening before the balloon took off.

Every last inch of the barbed head of the spear was buried deep into the deck. She tugged on it to see if it would come loose, she tried first with her arms and then tried lifting it out with her legs. It was stuck, an ugly permanent fixture on the deck until they replaced the board.

"Not so fast..." She heard behind her accompanied by the familiar clicks or a hammer being pulled back on a flintlock pistol. "Drop the pike, Nice and easy, turn around and lets see ya." The voice said. Lucile let the naginata slip through her fingers and clatter on the deck as she slowly turned her small, soaking wet form around to face the six men that had seemingly appeared behind her.

She turned around slowly taking in the mean and their weapons. There didn't seem to be a proper sword among them. Most bore rigging tools as arms and there were two pistols pointed at her. Outside of this they were the very model of a modern sailor, tattered cloths missing teeth, the man holding the pistol wore and eye patch. Lucicle raised her hands and before she could say anything the men shouted.

"It's a lass!"

"And a pretty one at that!"

"Come to see us have we?"

Lucile, whose heart was still beating out of her chest, said "Listen gentlemen. I'm going to be taking your ship...you can either leave with your lives or I can kill all of you and take the ship regardless."

"Ha!" The pistol wielding eye patch man scoffed "There's 6 of us 1 of you...and you look like one of those high class girls...like you know how to fight." He sneered pressing the barrel of his pistol against her cheek.

With that Lucile broke, none of these men would be leaving the ship alive. She clenched her fists and suddenly the world around her was seemingly moving a 1/10 speed. She grabbed the mans wrist and moved her way out of the pistol jamming it off to a safe direction as it discharged. She swiftly drove her knee into the mans testicles and released him as he collapsed.

She heard a second gun shot and immediately dropped watching the musket ball pass above her where her chest had just been. She jabbed hi first forward into one of the mans knees and quickly stood up tossing the other hand across his jaw. Just to her side she heard the clatter of steel on wood. Some one was picking up her naginata. She turned and said

"Not yours." While grabbing the hilt and simultaneously jabbing the mans adam's apple. He released the naginata to her grip. "Thank you"she said jokingly as she quickly slashed through the remaining men leaving a blood mess on the deck around her, and screams of the men filling the air.

She flicked what blood she could off of her blade before hearing a faint muffled clapping sound and squishing footsteps.

She turned to see a soaking wet Arno walking down the deck at her. She walked up to him, dropped her naginata and slapped him in the face as hard as hard as she could muster tossing Arno's head to the side.

"I should kill you... Next time I make the plan. Got it? Say I make the plan next time" Lucile said sternly her hand raised to strike again.

"Okay...okay. You make the plan next time" Arno said defending his face from further damage.

"Like honestly I have no idea why I wen't along with this. It was crazy from the start." Lucile said dropping her hand.

"In fairness you're still alive." Arno said. Hearing this Lucile raised her hand to strike again, and Arno put his hands up in defense. "I said you make the plan next time!"

She lowered her hand and embraced Arno in a hug. "I'm glad you're okay Arno."

Arno smiled and embraced her back, "I'm glad you made it too, I was fearing the worst when I saw the balloon go up, also can we talk about what just happened here, you dispatched these 6 guys in around 5 seconds...care explaining that"

Lucile let go of Arno an stepped back leaning up against the railing of the ship.

"Well like I mentioned in Nicholas's workshop I have special sight too...though my understanding is it's not the traditional 'Sixth Sense' that is always talked about. I can see a bit through walls and all of that, but if I focus my mind can process things very quick allowing me to see the world in a slow motion. I'm the first person my Order has ever found with such a gift."

Arno stood there dumbfounded for a moment looking at her trying to decide if he believed her or not. It didn't take him more than a half second to decide he bought it and he replied.

"I have seen people with magic teleporting swords, this is the least strange thing I've heard in a while...but I think this confirms slicing musketballs out of the air isn't exactly a parlor trick."

"I suppose you got be there" Lucile said back with a smirk as the screams of the dying men on the deck faded off.


	23. Sequence 8, Memory 1

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March 1799 – Alexandria

Arno groaned loudly rolling into the sunlight pouring through the open window of the Captians quarters of his and Lucile's Two masted sloop. He glanced over that the hammock where Lucile usually slept and noted it was empty. He kicked his feet over the edge of the hammock and took a brief moment to rub his eyes.

He reached down to the small stool next to his hammock and scooped up Elise's Templar Cross necklace and fastened it around his neck before hopping down to the floor and shuffling over to the door to the upper deck.

The ring next to the door where the disembarkation pass hung was empty, signaling that Lucile had taken one of the row boats ashore. Arno tossed open the doors and the desert sun beat down on him intensely, causing his thing linen arming shirt to stick to his skin as he began to sweat. He shut the door behind him to keep what little cool night air was left in the cabin trapped there.

He walked across the deck out the the front of the ship and stopped as he reached the railing looking past the forward mast at Alexandria, silently thinking to himself.

He climbed over the railing and up the forward mast to the forward most point where he could still sit down. He settled into his perch and removed his shirt, as to not get it too soaked with his sweat. He folded it and placed it next to him. He looked down at Elise's necklace and the various scars and bruises that covered his torso.

'There's very few ways this can end.' He thought to himself. ' The first one is probably with me dead...so many ways that could happen it can't not be to top option. The second is almost assuredly living on without Elise...which I've done for so long now this quest for the book is almost as much keeping it out of Napoleon's hands as it is hoping I could somehow use it to bring back Elise."

When Arno thought about, he almost had a sense of shame about still chasing a dream of being with Elise despite her death almost five years ago at the hands of Germaine.

'….and really what have I done with that time. Got pissed drunk in taverns, turned over the weapon that killed her to the Assassins, accepted my title of Assassin back, chased a pipe dreams of life restoring objects to the worlds biggest and hottest beach. Then of course live with a different Templar woman for almost a year. Not exactly a thrilling way to honor Elises memory." Arno thought. 'I'm 31 years old now...this whole jumping from balloons and fighting wars thing will kill me soon enough if I don't quit."

Arno sighed. He knew that there were many Assassins who kept operating well into their twilight years, but for most of those Assassins it was about the Creed. He considered his station with the Assassins and wondered if her was the first Master Assassin in the Order to not really give a damn about the Creed, but really to be using his position for his own gain and means. Wondering if he would ever find a connection to the Creed, he grabbed his shirt, stood up and looked behind him towards the faint sound of paddles slapping against the water.

Arno saw Lucile paddling back towards the ship. Inside the row boat she had what looked like a pallet of food and fresh water. He waved, a gesture which she returned as the two got within shouting distance.

"I didn't hear you leave this morning" Arno said.

"I tried to wake you, but you were fast asleep so I just went alone. But I have news, quick toss me a rope to get this food on board." Lucile said back as the rowboard bumped the hull of the sloop gently. Arno gracefully grabbed a rope hanging from a pully on a swing arm and tossed it down to her, and the swung the arm over the boat to help hoist the load.

"News?" Arno asked as he watched Lucile tie the pallet off to the rope he had provided "Good or bad?"

"Well that depends on how you wanna look at it." She said stepping up onto the pallet and grabbing the rope as Arno slowly hoisted the load up.

When the pallet reached the deck she stepped off and pulled it swinging the arm back over to the deck of the ship, thus allowing Arno to put it down.

"So?" Arno said as he stepped forward to untie the rope.

"So. I heard that Napoleon is coming back through Alexandria this week after a successful campaign in Syria against the Ottamans. He is passing through to travel towards Abukir to do some campaigning there."

"Do you know if he's stopping?" Arno said his heart beginning to flutter at the possibility of getting the Pieces of Eden or just taking Napoleon out of the picture all together.

"I'm not sure...Just passing through was all I heard. It could mean anything." Lucile said shrugging. "But He'll have the pieces of Eden with him"

"What makes you think that, did you over hear something?" Arno asked

:You have two pieces of Eden in your control...you'd keep them close"

"Yeah" Arno said almost embarrassed he didn't think of that. This passing through to Abukir, it contradicts those people that said he was looking for a boat to leave." He thought aloud.

Lucile counter pointed him "Not necessarily he could be looking to quell the Ottamans before returning to France"

"Get some victories under his belt to look good for the people" Arno nodded "You might have a point." He grabbed some of the pails of water and walked them towards the cabins quarters where they slept.

"So when he passes through I think we're going to need a plan." Lucile said

"Without a doubt." Arno said.


	24. Sequence 8, Memory 2

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June 1799 - Alexandria

Arno sat on a bench in Alexandria's main square looking up at many of the minarets. He saw Lucile's profile utilizing his spyglass gazing towards the edge of the city. After the balloon debacle Arno had promised he would let Lucile 'make the plan next time'. She hadn't keyed him in on the finer points of this plan yet but he trusted that she would get them the Pieces of Eden.

The two had made the decision that getting the Pieces were their primary goal and killing Napoleon would be a secondary objective. Without the pieces he would be powerless anyways, however if they continued to exist in a place where people could abuse them killing Napoleon would make no difference if General Kleiber or another one of Napoleons trusted advisors took the Pieces for themselves after his assassination.

Arno glanced back up and noticed Lucile's figure was no longer in the tower. She would probably be back at any moment. Just as Arno reached up to adjust the scarf covering his face a large sack was thrown down at his feet. He glanced up to see Lucile standing there with her hand extended offering him his spyglass back.

"You can carry that the rest of the way back to the ship." She said motioning to the heavy looking bag as Arno took his spyglass back.

"What is it?" Arno asked heaving it over his shoulder.

"Just some presents from the French Expedition in Egypt." She smiled at him. "Were you able to find anyone?"

Arno shook his head solemnly. "All the Assassin dens I searched were emptied, signs of struggle, Napoleon must be having his men root the Order out."

"Certainly doesn't bode well for your lot if he gets back to France." Lucile said as the two started walked away from the city square.

"Or yours either I'm sure." Arno noted "What did the camp look like"

"They are definitely setting up for Napoleons troops to be just outside the cities lines. The local garrison here in Alexandria is setting up a tent city for the troops to march into" Lucile said.

"Napoleon will probably stay in town then." Arno said thinking of all the locations in Alexandria Napoleon could go.

"Maybe, it also raises the question if he'll be storing the Pieces where he sleeps, or where he works." Lucile said.

"True. So what's really in the bag?" Arno asked his curiosity getting the better of him again.

"French Uniforms." Lucile stated matter of factly.

"You don't think they'll report them stolen?" Arno asked.

"Seeing as they'll be waking up in a brothel with a purse of coin that will last them a week, I'd say not for about a week" She said with a grin.

"Fair enough." Arno said having mixed feelings about her leaving them alive. Had they been killed and had their uniforms stolen it might have went reported...However her approach made them look like deserted and assumed they would piss away the money she had left them inside the brothel she dumped them in. Either way it was her plan, and he had to trust her approach.

The two reached their moored off rowboat and Arno tossed the bag in. Lucile untied the small boat and each took up an oar and began rowing out to their sloop. Time passed in silence until the bows of the rowboat and sloop touched and the two strung the boat up to pulleys and lifted themselves to deck level.

Arno tossed the clothing laden bag onto the deck and leapt over the railing offering his hand to Lucile for her to step aboard.

"A proper gentleman" She mocked taking his hand and stepping aboard.

"I was raise by Templars not animals." Arno mocked in return, while picking up the bag of clothes. The two walked to the Captains quarters where they had been sleeping.

"So I'm sure you have a general idea of whats going to happen at this point." Lucile said as she opened the door for Arno, who promptly tossed down the bag and walked over to his hammock removing the scarf he was wearing on his head.

"We're going to impersonate french soldiers to get into somewhere we shouldn't" seems easy enough to me Arno said walking over to the Captains desk and fishing out a bottle of rum and some glasses. He poured a glass for himself and motioned to Lucile offering her some.

"Yes please." She replied. "Exactly, the only issue if we're going to need to find Napoleon or where he's hiding the Pieces. While I was up in the minaret I saw them moving some rather lavish looking furniture into a tent in the center of the camp. "

Arno extended her glass to her, which she took and immediately gave a sip.

"So you don't think he's coming into the city at all." Arno said "You think he's staying with his men."

"Exactly" Lucile said as she reached down to her belt and pulled out a knife, quickly tossing it to Arno.

"Whats this for?" Arno said snatching the blade out of the air.

"He's staying with his men Arno...I'm going to need a hair cut." She said dragging a chair to the center of the room and sitting down. Arno stood up, took a swig of his run and walked over to her.

"You sure about this?" He asked starting to gather her hair up in his hands.

"Sure why not." She said. "It grows back"

Arno measured the length using the flat of the blade and then sliced the first bundle of hair off. He methodically continued as Lucile spoke.

"I'll be cooler in the heat anyways. Dunno why I didn't think of it before."

"Thats one way to look at it." Arno said lopping another bundle of hair off. "You know it occurred to me a while back that we've known each other about a year."

"I suppose that is about right isn't it" She said.

"Yeah...and all this time I don't think I've ever asked. Why are you a Templar?" Arno asked as he brushed some of the cut hairs off her head.

"Ah, doing that barber ask about peoples lives thing." She said smiling

"Something like that" Arno said, knowing he was actually asking due to his own crisis of identity over his station with the Assassins.

"Well..." She started thinking about it. "It's really the only purpose I've ever had, I was born into the Templars. Trained since I was knee high to be a killer, foot soldier in the Templar Army. Due to...well being a woman, having a place of political authority to help further the Orders ideals wasn't really an option seeing as I wasn't anyone of royalty." Lucile said pausing for a moment to think about it.

She continued. "When my trainers found out about my gift I was moved toa training position under the Grandmaster, so he could monitor my training. Of course once I was fully trained I was sent out to execute the Orders missions. So I guess that's really it...it gives me a purpose because it's the purpose I was trained for. Alright, Arno...your turn, why are you an Assassin?"

"Done" Arno announced setting the knife down and looking over the messy blonde inch long cut that Lucile was now sporting. Lucile got up and walked over to her bed picking up her diry mirror and looking into it.

"Not gonna lie...I kinda like it." She said. "But, really Arno. Why are you an Assassin"


	25. Sequence 8, Memory 3

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June 1799 – Alexandria

Arno and Lucile walked through the streets in french military uniforms. They carried the standard French rifles and looked virtually indistinguishable from other soldiers inside the makeshift camp on the edge of Alexandria.

"You know you could probably take the mask off." Lucile said, straining her voice to make it seem as deep as she could muster.

"Alot of men wear them to keep the sand out of their mouths and lungs..." Arno said before lowering his tone "And plus a lot of these men know me, I served in this army remember?"

Lucile nodded as the two closed in on the center of the camp. Arno observed the large tent that they had assumed to be Napoleon's he focused, and activated his Eagle vision.

"No ones home." He said to Lucile motioning at the tent. "We just have to make sure we're not seen entering."

She nodded at him glancing around, she didn't think there was anyway to generate a large enough distraction that all eyes would be off the tent.

"There's even an armed guard at the entrance." She said quietly as the two sat down on two available chairs that overlooked the small clearing where the tent was pitched.

"Yeah but it's a tent," Arno said. "Every side is an entrance...we just have to be quiet when we get inside."

She nodded in agreement. The two sat there in silence for a while watching and waiting for their opportunity with rifles resting on the ground and leaning on their shoulders. The world around them was bustling with the noise of a military camp, but to Arno and Lucile the world was docile and quiet as the two drifted into thought waiting for their opening.

"Do you think it will ever be over?" Lucile whispered to Arno.

"What's that?" Arno asked still panning his eyes over the tent.

"The war between the Assassins and the Templars." She clarified.

Arno stopped for a moment to think about it. He had given this some thought in the past, but never really had been directly asked.

" Elise's father, the man who took me in when my father was killed, Francois de la Serre believed it could end. My father was killed believing in that dream as well. I like to think Elise believed in it...but me, I think there will always be two sides to this war. If the Templars and Assassins find peace some other group will come along and muck it up...so I guess I believe in it, but it wouldn't change a thing." Arno said thoughtfully as he watched an important looking man ride near the tent.

"I gues-" Lucile started to say before Arno pulled her by her arm towards the tent, leaving their rifles behind.

"Attention all!" The man on the horse shouted, drawing attention to him and away from their target "All passes have been canceled, by order of Napoleon we will push on to Abukir tonight."

Before the man had even finished Arno lifted part of the tent allowing Lucile to slip under. She held it from the other side as he rolled in.

"Smooth as silk" she whispered to him with a big grin on her face.

"Yeah, well done...now lets find those Pieces." He said hopeful they would be inside the tent. The furniture that was moved in made it easy to forget the office was inside of a canvas tent. It was complete with a desk, rug, chairs, tables, chests, and a massive wardrobe.

"Check the desk, I'll start picking the locks on the chests." Lucile said walking towards the chests. Arno looked over the desk. It seemed perfectly ordinary, he checked all of the drawers and felt around for hidden buttons.

'No Luck' he thought to himself as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and a cold shiver ran down his spine. He could hear conversing outside the tent and it was moving closer. Arno quickly moved across the tent and grabbed Lucile by the arm.

He recognized one of the voices now, it was Napoleon's. He activated his Eagle vision and saw Napoleon's personal guard had encircled the tent. He grabbed the door of the giant wardrobed, threw it open, got inside pulling Lucile in with him and quietly closing the door.

Lucile slowly turned the locking bar from the inside so that the doors were locked and then jammed he hand into the mechanism so it couldn't turn. The space inside the wardrobe was cramped an pitch black except for a small crack of light coming in from in between the doors.

Arno, whose face was already right next to Lucile's ear, whispered "Next time. I make the plan."

Napoleon and his entourage strode into the tent and took seats throughout the tend and Napoleon sat behind his desk.

"What is the status of the ranks?" he asked leaning forward over his desk.

"They are currently being pulled back from their duties and passes , we should be accouted for by tonight and be ready to march."

"Good..." Napoleon said thoughtfully. "We must shut down this Ottoman uprising in Abukir as fast as possible. Once that situation is dealt with I should be able to hand command over to General Kleiber."

"We would really preferred if you stay Napoleon." A voice said.

"I wish I could gentlemen but with the Directory failing in France I feel as though my place is there with the people. Now wheres that letter from Admiral Nelson, I need to draft a response."

Arno whispered again to Lucile. "Napoleon is in contact with the British Admiral, whats that about?"

"I'm not sure, but Nelson is a Templar...I doubt he would be in league with Napoleon." She whispered back keeping her response short. They could always talk about this later when noise discipline wasn't so important.

"What was the name of the vessel I'll be sailing back on, Captain?" Napoleon asked one of the men in the room gesturing a quill at him.

"The Muiron, Sir...With three escorts." Another voice responded as Napoleon's quill could audibly be heard scratching through the silence.

"Alright, see Admiral Nelson receives this...and gentlemen please keep my departure quiet...I would not want to upset the men. I believe that will be quite all, unless some of you would like to join me inspecting the artillery to ensure it's been upkept?"

There was some muffled discussion as Napoleon and his advisors departed the tent. Lucile went to open the door, but Arno activated his eagle vision.

"Wait." He whispered as one of the figures returned to pick up his hat before departing with Napoleons guards.

The two stepped out of the wardrobe and Arno dusted off his ratty borrowed uniform.

"Cmon lets get out of here before somebody stumbles on us." Lucile said.


	26. Sequence 8, Memory 4

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June 1799 – Alexandria

Lucile and Arno climbed over the railing of the sloop talking among themselves, after their failed attempt at infiltrating Napoleons camp.

"First step is to figure out where this ship is docked." Arno said slipping out of his borrowed French military jacket and tossing it down on the deck. It was far to warm of a day to wear the uniforms any longer than was really required.

"If its a small enough ship we might be able to board it on it's way to France." Lucile suggested dropping her coat as well The two stood in plain white undershirts, and the blue pants of the french military uniforms baking in the sun for a moment before Arno shot a hole in Lucile's plan.

"They have 3 escorts going with him...even with a full crew those are impossible odds." Arno said collapsing back and tossing his hands behind his head and just staring upwards. Lucile followed suit, only pausing for a moment to hike up the baggy military uniform pants she was wearing.

"Follow them all the way back to France, then ambush them before they can get the pieces off the ship?" Lucile suggested.

'Better odds but that's four ships worth of men that could possibly descend on us' Arno thought to himself closing his eyes. "One step at a time" He said aloud "Lets figure out what this ship is and why Nelson is working with Napoleon to get him out of this catbox." Arno chuckled, but there was no response from Lucile.

Arno open his eyes and turned to her just as her hand struck him.

"Arno, men coming aboard!" Arno looked over her body to see men coming over the wall, all of them bearing pistols and swords. Before either Arno or Lucile could draw their weapons there was 7 pistols trained on them.

Arno slowly stood up and turned to face the men, Lucile by his side as the final man came on deck.

"Lord Cornet." Lucile stated flatly walking towards the new comer. "To what do I owe this pleasant visit."

Just as she got within arms distance on him he brought his fist across her face, causing her to stumbles down to her knees. Arno lunged forward but quickly stopped as Lord Cornet's men snapped their pistols to him.

"Traitor bitch." The man said spitting on the ground in front of her. "It's taken me a while to track you down...but here you are"

"I'm sorry what?" Lucile said standing back up

"I have been sent by Lord Nelson, to relive you of your post for working with the enemy." He said drawing his pistol, instead of bringing it to bear on Lucile he pointed it at Arno.

"Come over here Assassin." He said motioning the pistol. Arno walked over to the man and stood in front of the man. "Brian. Bring me that bucket." He said to one of his cronies.

The man recovered the bucket from across the deck and handed it to Lord Cornet, who flipped it upside down and holstered his weapon.

"Put your head on the bucket Assassin, die with honor." He said drawing his sword. Arno looked over at Lucile and back at the man.

"Pound sand." Arno spat back in his face. Lord Cornet swung at struck Arno across the jaw. Arno winced, but stood right back up. "How about instead of executing me duel me like a damn man." Arno said stepping forward making the distance between the two smaller.

"Fine." Lord Cornet said sheathing his blade. "But we duel with pistols, one ball each ten paces, what is you name Assassin...I like to know the names of the men I duel" The confidence of his words suggested to Arno that he had in fact done this before, but if he was going to go down. He'd prefer to do it fighting.

"Agreed. My Name is Arno Dorian, Master Assassin of the French Order" Arno sneered.

"A master Assassin...a big catch today boys! Very well, seize the girl." Lord Cornet commanded "This duel is for this Assassins life...should he kill me. Slit her throat." Arno looked at Lucile as she was grabbed. He was starting to formulate a plan...a crappy plan, but something that gave them a fighting chance to survive this.

Arno accepted his pistol from one of Lord Cornet's men. He walked over to the center of the deck and stood back to back with his opponent. He glanced left seeing Lucile held with a flintlock to her head and a group of men behind her bearing pistols.

"10 paces Mister Dorian, then turn and shoot." Lord Cornet clarified.

"You know it's people like you that's stops cooperation between our two orders." Arno said.

"Walk!" The man holding Lucile. Arno began stepping counting out his paces. He couldn't just kill Cornet and he only had one musket ball, but he did have Lucile...the Templar trained killing machine.

'10' Arno thought as his last footstep hit the deck. He turned and aimed his pistol towards Lucile. Before any of the men could react or Lord Corent could get the full trigger pull on his flintlock. Arno's pistol discharged. Just as the pistol recoiled and the ball left the barrel he saw Lord Cornets pistol go off.

Arno's shot grazed Lucile's side and went into the man behind her. As the action started to unfold she activated her special vision and the world slowed down. She grabbed the mans pistol away from her head just as it discharged. She pulled him between her and the other men as they fired on her peppering his body with musket balls.

She tossed him aside while drawing his sword and coming to face the remaining six men, before the men could even comprehend what happened they were cut to ribbons, some the the men leaping overboard.

Lucile turned to look for Lord Cornet but he had disappeared and Arno laid on the deck. She dropped the sword and rushed over to him blood gushing out of her side staining the white shirt she wore.

"Arno!" She yelled as she picked him up looking at his left arm which had been caught by a musket-ball.

"I think that friend of yours jumped ship" He groaned through the pain. He had been knocked out from the hit. "You're hit." Arno said touching her side.

"Yeah...you shot me." She said smiling as he stood up from her arms cradling his left arm.

"Sorry about that...guy behind you was moving around...had to shoot clo-" Before he could finish his thought, she grabbed his dirty white shirt and pulled him into a kiss.


	27. Modern Day 1

\Indexing FAILED

\System state Fluctuating

\Mandatory Reboot Required

\Helix Powering OFF

Boston – 2015

"Brandon...Brandon!" A voice said lighting tapping Brandon's as he came out of his Helix session. "We need to go"

"What's the problem, it was just getting good." Brandon said groggily sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Abstergo has Geo-located us, the alert threw about 5 minutes ago. No knowing how long until they get here." A tall, bald, muscular man said as he tore the cables that separated the Helix workstation and a laptop out of the laptop.

This had Brandon up. He rushed across the office and started tossing flash-drives, hard drives, and all sorts of other technical equipment into any bag he could find. He filled one up and turned, tossing it to the other man.

"Justin!" He called alerting him to the flying bag. Justin turned and caught the bag effortlessly and placed it on the dolly where he was putting the equipment. "Is Emily bringing the car around?"

"She went to get it as soon as the alarm sounded." Justin said.

"Good."

Just then Emily burst through the door wearing a set of finger-less gloves and a red leather jacket.

"Alright boys, cars out front lets go." She said turning on her heel and walking right back out the door.

"Brandon is that everything?" Justin asked surveying the room for himself.

"Everything worth taking." Brandon acknowledged grabbing the dolly and heading for the front door. Justin nodded and followed him.

The two got to the curbside and saw Emily's lowered black Mini Cooper idling right in front of the door.

"Throw it in the back and get in." She said helping them with the first few bags before moving to the driver seat and leaving over to a laptop computer that was sitting on a tray over the passenger seat, giving it a couple keystrokes. "Hurry!" She called.

Justin and Brandon heaved the last of the bags into the back of the car and rushed to the doors, as soon as they were in the seats Emily crushed the accelerator and the Mini squealed to life.

Brandon was sitting shotgun and looked over the outputs of the laptop.

"What am I seeing here?" Brandon asked Emily who's eyes were locked forward as she swerved their ride through heavy Boston traffic.

"It's cTOS output. It's a program Abstergo and Blume have been implementing in cities nation wide. It has facial recognition, data mining, the works. We're fortunate Boston only has a partial implementation...but due to them Geo-Locating us they've decided to turn it on a bit early."

"Wow...that's impressive" Brandon said pushing his glasses back up his nose as the car took a violent right hand turn into a rotatory, which transitioned into a long drift to their exit.

"Geez, could you be any more conspicuous?" Justin said from the back seat.

"No. But thats not the point. I'm following a route I know to be lacking in cTOS sensors to get out of the city...then we'll head to our cold site in the western part of the state." She said as the car violently hopped over a speed bump. "The issue is I'm assuming this route would be one of the places they'll send assets because the program isn't covering it...so we need to move fast."

"I think there's on thing you over looked Em." Brandon stated flatly looking at the laptop screen which was starting to erupt with color.

"Whats that?" She asked driving down a ramp into a tunnel.

"How much people hate bad drivers...we've generated twelve 911 calls in the short time we've been in the car." Brandon said moving his hands to the keyboard.

"Well do some of your computer wizardly and get those calls canceled or something." Emily said violently switching lanes attempting to get around a mini van moving 5 under in the fast lane.

"Em...we're in a tunnel, I don't have WWAN. I couldn't even if I tried." Brandon responded

"Well get ready you'll have connection in about 3 minutes." She said racing towards the distant light at the end of the tunnel.

"Justin, get me my bag." Brandon instructed pointing at the pile of equipment and gear in the back.

Justin rolled his eyes and turned around to grab the equipment.

The Mini Cooper burst from the tunnel onto a bridge departing the city. The laptop made a distinctive sound indicating it had reconnected to the WWAN. Brandon started typing furiously.

"I'm going to log into my relay on the top of the Prudential Center. We need to figure out the frequency the police are operating on and I can solve this. Em...You've got a police scanner in here right?"

She took her eyes off the road for a moment to point to a hand mic on the dash. Just then Justin placed his equipment bag in his lap.

"There ya go." he said collapsing back in his seat feeling some what useless to the team in their current predicament. Brandon removed some cabling and a headset from the bag and plugged them into the radio, and into his computer. He applied the headset to his head and started scanning frequencies.

"I'm looking for the encrypted police freq, they wouldn't pass info about a chase over -" Brandon started as he listened for signs of an encrypted channel

"I see flashers!" Justin said looking behind him.

"Bloody hell." Emily mumbled ripping the wheel right at the last minute taking an exit ramp.

"Found the channel!" Brandon exclaimed and he stated his next job. "I'm going to take a sampling of the sequence and send it to our cracking station out of the coast of Britain."

"How the hell long is that gonna take?" Emily said checking her mirrors for the encroaching lights.

Brandon's laptop made a 'donk' noise to show the appearance of an email.

"That long." He laughed. "Now using the cracked key and freq I'm going to man-in-the-middle attack their comms, telling the station that they lost us, and telling the patrol cars to call off the sear-" Brandon jumped out of his seat and bumped his head on the roof. He glanced behind them and saw a Patrol Car right on their tail.

"Hold on." Emily said and she executed a well coordinated combo of the wheel, clutch, handbrake, and shifter to have them nose to nose with the cop car that had rammed them.

She drew her pistol and fired two shots at the front tires of the vehicles. It wiggled and lost control skidding to a stop as Emily turned the car back around. "Are you done yet?" She pressured Brandon.

Brandon executed a few keystrokes and the lights emanating from the laptop began to fade. "Done." He announced.

"Good..." Justin said from the back seat slouching down in his seat "I dunno how much longer I could have done that."

"Oh shut up J, you were just sitting there." Em said still checking her mirrors to be sure the threat was gone.

"I got Brandon's bag didn't I" He said quietly.

"Well guys, long trip ahead of us...lets discuss what we've learned from Arno's memories so far...I'll take notes." Brandon said with a smile


	28. Sequence 9, Memory 1

/Mounting DNA Data to backup site Helix...  
>Sequencing/Digitizing

/Launching

/Fragmented Backup Loaded

/Sequence 9, Memory 1

December 1800 – Paris

_Justin: Alright so I was able to get the files into our backup-site Animus, but there's a bit of a time skip. It had been over a year since Arno and Lucile departed Egypt chasing Napoleon and the Pieces of Eden that he possessed. The two had reached France and slowly, gathering as much information as possible, they worked their way back to Paris where Napoleon had secured a position as First Consul of France in a rigged election. _

_Far more discussion had been exchanged over Arno shooting Lucile, than Lucile kissing Arno, but as the pair returned to Paris Arno began to tread on familiar ground bringing Lucile into the Assassins Headquarters in Paris as she was willing to lend aid to their cause in the struggle against a new form of Tyrannical government. _

"It's through here." Arno said to Lucile as he stepped inside the small rock outcropping that led to the Assassin Den underneath the Cafe Theatre that Arno once oversaw. He took the quick right turn and then looked at the large metal gate that he remembered opening so many times, before his romp in the Egyptian sands. Though something was a bit off about it, there didn't seem to be a guard posted inside or outside of it.

"No Guards? Your order really is getting short on personnel" Lucile quipped watching Arno push the heavy gate open and step inside.

"There's usually someone here, I'm not sure why it's left unguarded" Arno said snaking his way down the passage until it dumped out into the halls of the Assassin Den he knew so well for the short time during the Revolution.

"Wow, ni-" Lucile began to say before she was cut off by a familiar shouting voice from further down the hall cut her off.

"Seize Them" Both Arno and Lucile reached for their weapons, but as an uncountable number of French soldiers appeared from behind every pillar and on every balcony, their hands relaxed as they felt the rough hands of soldiers grab them and drag them forward. Napoleon walked through the mess of guards, flanked by the Mentor of the French Brotherhood.

Napoleon looked quite a bit more dressed up then he had been after the battles and long hot days in Egypt, and adding polish to his uniform was a long golden sword that Arno had left with the Mentor some time ago.

"What the fuck is this?" Arno yelled at the Mentor who stared blankly back at him.

"Arno...come now...I think you know whats going on here." Napoleon said removing a hand from his jacket and revealing the Apple of Eden. "I've gained control of your silly Order and they work for me now...it's how I knew you two would be here today."

"Why in gods name would you do that." Lucile spat, visibly as furious as Arno.

"Simple my fair lady," Napoleon said as he began to pace " If there is one thing I learned from my time with Arno it's that an Assassin is worth 100 normal men in combat. It would be simply foolish of me to ignore the tactical value controlling such an entity would have"

Arno lunged a bit forward with Napoleons words, but was quickly tugged back.

"You really are a power monger." Arno growled eyeing the sword that killed Elise dangling from Napoleons belt.

"Oh this? It was a pleasant surprise after taking over the Order...though I'm told it no longer works. Which I'm told you were the last person to see it work. I suppose we'll need to have a conversation about this soon." Napoleon said.

"I'm not telling you shit." Arno said.

"Really now?" Napoleon said holding up the Apple "Because it will be hard for you to refuse here in a moment."

"You sick bastard." Lucile said struggling against her guard.

"No worries my dear, I have been told of your skill...I'm sure you will be just as useful to me as your gentleman caller" Napoleon said, light beginning to emit heavily from the Apple and enveloping Arno and Lucile. The two began to scream and collapse to the ground. "Now this evening I am attending the opera, you two shall work with a few other to ensure it doesn't happen. While I could stop it before hand...a failed assassination attempt stopped by the people is just great press.

As Napoleon finished talking and Lucile and Arno stopped screaming the light of the Apple faded and Napoleon tucked in back inside of his jacket.

"Place them in a cell before this evening to be sure that the control has taken them, and prepare my best uniform for the opera." Napoleon said waving his hand at the men in the room before turning and walking away.


	29. Sequence 9, Memory 2

/Mounting DNA Data to backup site Helix...  
>Sequencing/Digitizing

/Launching

/ CRASH DETECTED

/Sequence 9, Memory 2

_Justin: What the Hell?! The stream just crashed. Hold on a second Brandon, let me see if I can get it back...Well no dice. Looks like what ever Napoleon did to Arno really screwed up with the way memories are processed ._

_Emily: But we know what happens next, it was released as an extra mission in the Abstergo Entertainment game based on Arno's life. Arno and a team of Assassins, presumably Lucile as well, stop the attempt on Napoleon's Life at the opera. There's no reason trying to put together fragments of a memory Abstergo has already sequenced_

_Justin: But how did they sequence it and what other memories are we missing out on now that Arno is working as a drone for Napoleon. _

_Emily: No idea how they did it, but let's get Brandon into the next part of the memories we can get together hopefully it will reveal something of note. _

_Justin: Alright...I'm pushing forward the stream...give me a second...1805 is the first hit of a memory I can get loaded...It's a 5 year jump, but this might be when Arno starts coming around?_

_Emily: Maybe. Hopefully we didn't miss anything important. _

_Justin: Hate to say it but it was probably five years of Arno doing things we, or the Brotherhood, might not be proud of...perhaps it's for the best they can't be recovered. Stream's back up...3...2...1_

August 1805 – Paris, France

Napoleon paced around his seemingly empty office glancing at the Sword of Eden sitting on a stand on his desk. The Third Coalition, comprised of Russia, Britain, Sweden, and several other smaller states had declared war on his France. This posed some logistical problems for his intent to establish himself in a place of leadership over France as King. He ponder this a second longer before clapping his hands loudly.

"Bring them in" He shouted. The doors to his office were slowly pushed open and accompanied by 5 French Soldiers Arno and Lucile strode into the vast space that was Napoleon's office. "Leave us." Napoleon said waving the guards away.

"Sir?" One of them asked as politely as possible.

"They have not had an incident in several months, I'm sure we will be fine for a few minutes." Napoleon responded watching the soldier give a curt nod and usher his troops out of the room. "My favorite pets." He said as he rounded his desk an collapsed back into the chair positioned there.

"Sire" The two said in unison, performing a quick bow.

"I have use for your talent in this new found conflict." Napoleon said, as he grabbed the Sword of Eden from his desk and used it to point at the two of them. "The British are fool-hearty to get involved with us again...though they know that the Channel is guarded by their mighty Fleet, so until that fleet is eliminated their measly nation shall remain a thorn in our sides just out of reach."

Napoleon stood up and swung the Sword of Eden over his shoulder. He paused for a moment to allow for the two to speak. The orbs ability to control people was odd, they still seemed to exhibit some free will however it pushed them in the direction the wielder required them, and sometimes they regain their sense by means of simply existing.

"What would you have from us, my King" Arno spoke flatly.

"A brilliant question Arno," Napoleon said stepping in front of the two. "I need you to sail with the combined French and Spanish Navies and meet the British Fleet in combat. My understanding of your two Orders is that they have quite the history with Naval Combat." He paused for a moment and turned away from them. "This being said I want you two to work to eliminate as many ranking officers of the British Fleet as you can when this engagement occurs, cutting off their skilled leadership will make them week in a future attack. Do you understand."

Arno and Lucile nodded leaving their heads low as Napoleon turned to face them. Swinging his sword around pointing at the two of them.

"And return in one piece Arno, I have one last thing I need of you...Now get out of my sight." The two bowed and shuffled out of the room as the door closed behind them they turned to each other.

"Seabound again." Lucile mumbled snatching her Naginata back from as guard as the two strode down the hallway.

"Indeed, could be worse though, Slogging through the sewers again?" Arno shot back as he holstered his pistol.

"Gah, Never again." Lucile coughed "This assignment might be an opportunity to get back at Nelson after his men trying to kill us in Egypt."

"If only we were to be so lucky" Arno chuckled.


	30. Sequence 9, Memory 3

/Mounting DNA Data to backup site Helix...  
>Sequencing/Digitizing

/Launching

/Fragmented Backup Loaded

/Sequence 9, Memory 3

October 1805 – Cape Trafalgar, Atlantic Ocean

The air was heavy with the smoke of cannons from the French vessels surrounding Arno's ship. The deck was littered with splinters of the mast and the blood of his fellow crew members. The ship was barely afloat, but with some of it's masts still standing it could move.

Odd quiet had befallen the ocean for a moment before another salvo of cannon fire was unleashed on Arno's struggling vessel.

"Get down! Get down everyone!" He yelled as cannon balls blew holes in the deck around him splintered wood falling from the sky. He turned and ran towards the helm, if they had any chance of surviving her needed to get the ship out of broadside position with whatever British vessel had them at broadside through the smoke. "Lookout, are those signal flags up yet?!" He shouted glancing up at the main mast to see the signal flags up but the mangled body of the lookout tangled in the rigging.

Arno reached the wheel to find the helmsman collapsed in front of it screaming in agony. He moved past the man and grabbed the wheel spinning it as hard right as he could, there was no response.

'The damn rudder chains must have been hit we're sitting ducks.' He though as he instinctively ducked as the sound of another barrage of cannon fire was unleashed from the opposing vessel. The deafening sound of wood splintering struck Arno's ear as he peaked his head up to look over the damage.

"Everyone overbo-" Before he could even complete his order the powder stored on the lower decks exploded, splitting the ship in two and propelling him off the aft end of the ship and into the frigid Atlantic.

He struck the water hard, knocking the air from his lungs as the the cold water quickly soaked his uniform. Just as he felt the cold wash over him he also felt his hate for Napoleon return in a flash. He quickly pulled his head above water and glanced around as he traded water in the midst of the sea battle.

"Yes! Yes! I'm Back!" He screamed punching his hands through the water his eyes misting over with tears. Before he could celebrate further the looming shadow of a vessel drifted close to his position. Before he could identify the nation the vessel was from Luciles head emerged from the side.

"Couldn't even keep your ship together?" She asked tossing him down a rope to pull him aboard.

"Some one had to cover the flank, and no one else seemed motivated." Arno quipped as he was pulled on board. He quickly began shedding as much of his soaking wet gear as possible to lighten his load. "What's our next move" Arno asked getting his head back into the game. It was likely the shock of the fall or the temperature change had desperate his mind from the Piece of Eden. A luxury Lucile had yet to befall, however regardless of that they were still in the middle of a full scale naval war.

"We spotted the British flag ship right before you signaled for help, we're going to try to track it down and see if we can cut command off from the top." Lucile said and she grabbed the helm of the ship.

"Nelson?" Arno asked

"Possibly...I sure hope so." Lucile said as she ripped the wheel towards the slowly sinking husk that had been Arno's vessel. Arno shrugged tightened up his belt and adjusted his soaked white undershirt, he walked forward and looked over the fog of war and saw a set of masts laden with signal flags and a British flag.

"There...it's a ways out...but I think if we get the sails tight we could ride through the fracture line and get close. Grab a musket and take to the main mast, should you see the Admiral of this formation" Arno paused "Don't miss"

Lucile smirked and reached up patting him gently on the cheek "You know I rarely miss" She surrendered the wheel to Arno and moved toward the main mast grabbing a musket from a rack. "Try to keep it steady for me will you." She said as she grabbed a rope extended her hand and triggered the mechanism on her Wolf blade, chopping the rope and sending her soaring into the rigging of the ship.

"Will do..." Arno said grabbing the wheel and maneuvering towards the ship he had seen. The smoke laying over the water obscured Arno's vision as he heard Lucile cry out from the crow's nest.

"Take the ship a bit further, I see the ship." She sat cross legged with her rifled perched up on the low wall of the crow's nest of the ship. She had recovered a spyglass which she looked through with her other eye, gazing over the potential targets on the deck. Then a bright flash hit the lens of her spyglass, she recoiled away from the eye piece instinctively but quickly looked back towards the other ship.

The glare had been cause by a man pacing the deck and the sun piercing the smoke just right striking his highly decorated chest.

"That pompus bastard." Lucile mumbled knowing the wearing of fine award during a heated battle was just Admiral Nelson's style. She tossed aside the spy glass and got tight in on her rifle. She looked around and watched the wind move the signal flag on the other vessel. The shot was going to be difficult, and the longest she'd ever attempted, but there may not be another chance.

She exhaled heavily and watched the world slow down around her as she trained her sights just to the left of where Nelson was standing, then she felt the rise and fall of the ship wait for the exact moment when the ship was at the crest of the rise of the bottom of the fall. Just as she felt the optimum conditions she squeezed the trigger and the musket fired sending a ball directly at the enemy vessel.

Below Arno heard the shot and glanced up but before he could shout to Lucile a enemy vessel scraped up alongside of them out of the smoke and tossed grappling hooks across the deck.

"Boarding Positions!" Arno shouted as he looked at a man standing on the deck with him. "Boarding Axe!" The man tossed him a large Blunderbuss fitted with an imposing axe head as he rushed down to the main deck as British naval men flooded onto their ship.

Arno slashed though the crow to the best of his ability working towards the ropes which bound the two ships together. Cutting them would mean that they would be able to sail away, Arno worked his way through the crowd and sliced the ropes he could find. He turned back to the helmsman who stood readily at his post and shouted.

"Swing her hard to port!" The helmsman turned the wheel and the ship began to separate from the British vessel. Arno swung his axe into the back of a panicking British seaman before moving back to the bridge. "Get us out of this melee helmsman."

He glanced up at the crow's nest and shouted

"Lucile!? Did you kill the bastard?" His question was met with silence. "Lucile?" He asked shifting his gaze looking for her on the mast. Fearing the worse he dropped his axe and scrambled up the rigging to the crows nest to find it empty with only an old spyglass rolling around on the floor paneling.

Arno quickly turned around and screamed.

"Lucile! Lucile! Where are you?!" But only the faint sound of retreating French and Spanish cannons were there to answer him. She had all but vanished.


	31. Sequence 9, Memory 4

/Mounting DNA Data to backup site Helix...  
>Sequencing/Digitizing

/Launching

/Fragmented Backup Loaded

/Sequence 9, Memory 4

February, 1806 – Paris France

Arno stand in one of Napoleons ornately furnished offices, alone the specter of Lucile's disappearance still hanging heavy on his mind several months later. This would be his first meeting with Napoleon after he regained control of himself and Lucile went missing. He slouched down into a chair for just a moment before the door behind him creaked open.

"Your Majesty." Arno said as he laid his eyes on Napoleon wearing some of the most ridiculous garments he had ever seen on a man. Since his coronation as Emperor he had embraced a rather regal form of dress when not on the battlefield.

"Arno, I commend you on the Death of Admiral Nelson. He was interred last month, this may give us an advantage in our naval fronts moving forward." Napoleon said as he sat down and looked over some documents on his desk.

"I cannot take credit for that Emperor, it was Lucile who took the shot that felled the man." Arno said somewhat solemnly.

"Ah, yes. I heard she was lost at sea during the battle. Most unfortunate, she was a powerful and brave soldier." Napoleon said somewhat flatly rifling through his papers once more.

"Is there something bothering you?" Arno pried.

"There is, despite the loss of Nelson the British Navy remains strong, we recently suffered another defeat at San Domingo. I'd like to see things improve." Napoleon said hopefully as he got up from his desk.

"Despite having 3 pieces of Eden I cannot control an empire this vast, I need more and I need to begin planting them with trusted agents. The damn sword doesn't even work." Napoleon said pacing for a moment and then looking at Arno. "You were the last man to see it work are you not?"

"I am your eminence." Arno said ensuring to sell the ruse he was still under the influence of the Apple.

"What is your take on the sword not functioning, you spent much time with it."

"I have two prevailing theories, one is it simply requires more power as it has expended all of what it had stored. My other theory is that it can only be successfully wielded by a Sage." Arno explained

"I'm sorry a what?" Napoleon asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not sure exactly what they are, but you can team them from normal humans by their different colored eyes."

"And this man who wielded this sword last, had these features." Napolean asked

"He did" Arno responded

"Where is his body interred."

"It was not interred, it remains in the catacombs...presumably rotting." Arno said with a bit of pleasure.

"Very well, I will have you take me to it in time so I can have my doctors study it, in the meantime I have another job for you." Napoleon said reaching into his coat and revealing a wax sealed envelope.

Arno reached out and took the letter, breaking the seal. He looked over the paper and his heart lept. Another Piece of Eden...and he was being sent to retrieve it. Keeping it out of Napoleon's hand would be easy, or it may provide a way to get the book back.

"Well it appears I'm off to Lisbon."


End file.
